All package tour brochures shall be registered with the TIC two working days before their dispatch or dissemination, or the promotion or sale of the tours therein. Please refer to Directive No. 228: Registration of outbound package tour brochures.
Procedures for applying for registration of package tour brochures:
- Members may download the “Registration form for outbound package tour brochures” (PDF format / Word format) from the TIC website (www.tichk.org), or call the TIC hotline on (852) 2969-8188 to obtain the form by fax.
- The completed registration form, together with one original copy or one clearly legible photocopy of each brochure (including information on self-pay activities) and the necessary documents, shall be sent to the Outbound Department of the TIC Executive Office by post, fax, email or hand.
- The TIC Executive Office will only examine the following four items included in brochures:
(1) the validity periods of the brochures (based on the dates of departure);
(2) the places of departure, return and dismissal;
(3) the major modes of transport between the places of departure and the destinations (such as ship, coach, train, aircraft, etc; if air transport is involved, the names, logos or abbreviations of the carriers and whether the tour groups will travel on direct, non-direct or one-way direct flights shall be specified); and
(4) the package tour service charges (if applicable).
- When processing applications for registration of package tour brochures, the TIC may require members to provide supporting documents as proof. If members do not submit the necessary information for registration, and fail to provide such information two working days before they intend to dispatch or disseminate the brochures, or advertise or sell the package tours therein, then such applications for registration will be considered to have been automatically withdrawn. Since such applications for registration of the package tour brochures have not been completed, the members are not allowed to dispatch or disseminate the brochures, or advertise or sell the package tours therein.
- If members wish to enquire about whether a brochure to be registered contains any information likely to be deemed a prima facie violation of rules of the TIC, they should, before dispatching or disseminating the brochure or advertising or selling the package tour therein, submit one original copy or one clearly legible photocopy of the brochure to the TIC Executive Office as early as possible (not less than two working days in advance) and specify the point(s) they wish to enquire about in the space provided for “Notes” on the first page of the “Registration form for outbound package tour brochures”.
- The TIC’s decisions on registration of package tour brochures are final. A “Confirmation of registration” will be issued to members to confirm the completion of their registration of package tour brochures.
- Members shall not dispatch or disseminate any brochures, or advertise or sell any package tours therein unless they have received the “Confirmation of registration” of such package tour brochures.
- Members are obliged to ensure that all the information contained in brochures is accurate and accords with rules of the TIC, and to print in the brochures such information as is required by the TIC. Even if the registration of package tour brochures is completed, the TIC may submit any cases where the brochures are later suspected of having violated its rules to the Compliance Committee for deliberation. Information provided by members in the process of registration may be used by the TIC to handle complaints or suspected violations.
- After registration of package tour brochures, if the dates and places of departure, the places of return and dismissal, the major modes of transport between the places of departure and the destinations, carriers, accommodation, itineraries, activities (self-pay or not), attractions, arrangements for meals or any other items (except for the tour fares) relating to the package tours are to be changed, then members shall re-register such information with the TIC, and shall not dispatch or disseminate the revised brochures, or promote or sell the tours therein until the registration is completed.