E-levy system
- The e-levy system has completely replaced all franking machines from 1 July 2019. Members please click here to watch the training videos of the e-levy system to learn how to operate it.
Notes for franking receipts for outbound travel services
- The requirements in relation to the levy (consisting of the Fund levy and the Council levy) as stipulated in the Travel Agents Ordinance may be summarised as travel agents having to pay the levy in respect of every outbound fare received and outbound fares referring to: (1) the payments (including the deposits, balance, etc) received by travel agents for providing any two or all of the transport, accommodation and activities during a journey, and (2) the following payments related to the journey: air passenger departure tax, security charges, visa application fees, travel insurance premiums, fuel surcharges, and supplements for single rooms, additional beds and breakfast, etc.
- The amount of the levy shall equal a percentage of every outbound fare received by members, and that percentage shall be:
(1) 0.15%; or
(2) any other percentage as specified by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development.
- “Receipts” refer to any documents proving payment of outbound fares to members by customers. When members collect outbound fares from customers, the receipts shall be stamped with e-levy stamps through the e-levy system in order to prove payment of the levy.
- Receipts with levy stamps shall be given to customers by those members which directly sell outbound travel services to and directly receive outbound fares from customers.
- Members shall clearly specify on receipts with levy stamps or attachments thereof the full names of all the customers who have purchased outbound travel services in order that they are eligible for the protection under the Travel Industry Compensation Fund (including the Package Tour Accident Contingency Fund Scheme).
- Members shall make payment of the levy for every outbound fare received by them at any time or through any means or channels.
- All receipts shall have the following sentence in English and Chinese, with a size not smaller than the smallest print as shown on the same page of the receipts:
“Travellers must obtain receipts with levy stamps to have protection by the Travel Industry Compensation Fund.
旅客必須取得印花收據，方可獲得「旅遊業賠償基金」保障。” - Members may, after making levy payments, apply to the TIC for refunds of such payments if situations such as the cancellation of package tours, the transfer of tour participants to other package tours, etc occur, but such refunds shall be made in accordance with the procedures and ways specified by the TIC.
- Each application for a refund of the levy payment shall be enclosed with documentary proof; applications with insufficient documentary proof will not be processed.
- Members shall apply for refunds of levy payments within one year after the levy payments are made, counting from the dates of the levy stamps.
- If member agents have any doubts or further queries, please contact the TIC Executive Office on (852) 2807-1199. Non-payment, late payment and insufficient payment of the levy are against the law and subject to penalty. Members are strongly advised to brief their staff on the franking rules.
Download Levy Refund Form (PDF format / Excel format)