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Codes and Regulations

Preamble
  1. Preliminary

    Under Article 10 of the Articles of Association of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC), every member of the TIC is bound by the Codes of Conduct promulgated by the Board of the TIC for the purposes of regulating the conduct and business and other practices of travel agents. The Codes of Conduct being implemented are:

    1. General Code of Conduct for TIC Members
       
    2. Code of Business Practice on Outbound Package Tours
       
    3. Code of Advertising Practice for TIC Members
       
    4. Code of Business Practice on Inbound Travel Service
       
    5. Code of Business Practice on Study Tours and Exchange Tours (revised)

  2. Abbreviation

    In these Codes of Conduct for Members, the following words bear the meanings set out below:

    1. “Articles of Association” means the Articles of Association of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong
       
    2. “TIC” means the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong
       
    3. “The Board” means the Board of Directors of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong
       
    4. “Consumer Relations Committee” means the Consumer Relations Committee of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong
       
    5. “Compliance Committee” means the Compliance Committee of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong
       
    6. “Appeal Board” means the Appeal Board of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong
       
  3. Interpretation
     
    1. Outbound Travel Agent

      According to the Travel Agents (Amendment) Ordinance 2002, an outbound travel agent means a person who carries on business as an outbound travel agent, and such a person is required to obtain a travel agent’s licence.

      A person carries on business as an outbound travel agent if, in Hong Kong, he carries on the business of obtaining for another person:

      • carriage, by any means of conveyance, on a journey which is to commence in Hong Kong and which thereafter is to take place mainly outside Hong Kong; or
         
      • accommodation at a place outside Hong Kong for which payment is, or is to be, made to that person by or on behalf of that other person of an amount on account of the cost of that accommodation.
         
    2. Outbound Travel Service

      According to the Travel Agents (Amendment) Ordinance 2002, a service is an outbound travel service if:

      • it is provided or obtained by an outbound travel agent for the public;
         
      • it is comprised of any two or all of the following:
        • carriage, by means of a conveyance, on a journey which is to commence in Hong Kong and which thereafter is to take place mainly outside Hong Kong;
        • accommodation at a place outside Hong Kong;
        • arrangements for an activity (not ancillary to a service referred to in subparagraph (i) or (ii)) which is to take place outside Hong Kong and which, where included in the package, constitutes a substantial part of it;
           
      • it is a package which is available only at an inclusive price; and
         
      • the services or arrangements constituting the package have been determined in advance of being made available to the public.

      A travel agent shall be liable to pay a levy in respect of every outbound fare received by such a travel agent for the provision of an outbound travel service described above. The amount of the levy shall equal a percentage of every outbound fare received by members, and that percentage shall be:

      • 0.15%; or
      • any other percentage as specified by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development.
         
    3. Outbound Package Tour

      An “outbound package tour” is a term commonly used by members and the public to refer to an outbound travel service specified in subsection (2), which includes the provision to a group or a person of services relating to transport, accommodation, activities, outbound tour escorts, local tourist guides, etc; or of such services as air-plus-hotel packages.

    4. Inbound Travel Agent

      According to the Travel Agents (Amendment) Ordinance 2002, an inbound travel agent means a person who carries on business as an inbound travel agent, and such a person is required to obtain a travel agent’s licence.

      A person carries on business as an inbound travel agent if, in Hong Kong, he carries on the business of obtaining for a visitor to Hong Kong:

      • carriage, by any means of conveyance, on a journey which is to commence outside Hong Kong and which either:
        • terminates in Hong Kong; or
        • involves the visitor passing through immigration controls before departing from Hong Kong;
           
      • accommodation in Hong Kong for which payment is, or is to be, made to that person by or on behalf of the visitor of an amount on account of the cost of that accommodation; or
         
      • one or more of the following prescribed services:
        • sightseeing or visits to local places of interest;
        • restaurant meals or other catered meals;
        • shopping trips;
        • local transport in connection with an activity referred to in subparagraph (i), (ii) or (iii).
           
    5. Tour Operator

      A travel agent who operates a package tour.

    6. Members of the TIC

      Those Ordinary and Affiliate Members of the TIC only.