How to Choose Your Hong Kong Travel Agent - Outbound Travel

Online Hong Kong Travel Agent

When you buy travel services on the Internet, check whether the services are provided by licensed Hong Kong Travel Agents.

After making the payment on the Internet for a package tour exiting from Hong Kong, make sure you obtain a franked receipt from the licensed travel agent.

If you buy from non-licensed Hong Kong Travel Agents, you will not have any franked receipts and are therefore not protected by the Travel Industry Compensation Fund and the Package Tour Accident Contingency Fund .
Take account of the risk of buying travel services on the Internet, such as misuse or abuse of personal data, security of online payment and so on.
Beware of any fake websites which may defraud you of your money and personal information.

Travel Industry Compensation Fund and the Package Tour Accident Contingency Fund Scheme

Hong Kong Travel Agents are obliged by law to contribute 0.3 per cent of the tour fare received as levy to the Travel Industry Compensation Fund (TICF) . In the unfortunate case that the travel agent goes bankrupt, affected travellers are entitled to receive from the TICF an ex gratia payment of up to 90 per cent of the tour fare paid.

Package tour travellers with properly franked receipts are protected by the Package Tour Accident Contingency Fund Scheme . Financed by the TICF, the scheme renders contingent financial relief of up to HK$180,000 to tour accident victims and their relatives.

Incentive tours, familiarisation tours, airline stopover packages, and cruise packages are all regarded as package tours, the receipts of which must be franked.

A 0.3 per cent levy must be franked on all tour receipts, including deposit, balance, full payment and temporary receipts, and any documents acting as receipts. In case of credit accounts, invoices must be franked before departure.
Obtain a franked receipt from the Hong Kong Travel Agent for any payment you have made.

In recent years, although some agents have allowed more flexibility in payment of tour fares (e.g. you may deposit the tour fare in their bank account and get a franked receipt from them later), you must note that even if you have paid the tour fare, you will not be protected by the TICF unless you have a franked receipt.
Keep all franked receipts and ask your family members or friends to keep them for you before departure.

For details of the TICF, please visit the Travel Protection for Outbound Travellers section of the website of the Hong Kong Travel Agents Registry.

Pay Attention to the Particulars of Your Travel Services

Make sure you understand the services provided by the Hong Kong Travel Agent and ask for a list of such services.

If you purchase a "travel package", you should ask your travel agent what kinds of services (e.g. cross-boundary transport) are included in the package.

Take out Travel Insurance

Take out travel insurance that meets your needs and understand its coverage.
Enquiries about Tour Cancellation and Others

If Hong Kong Travel Agents cancel a package tour destined for any destinations (except within Guangdong Province) prior to its scheduled departure, they must notify their clients of the cancellation at least seven days in advance excluding the departure date.

Failing that, they must make a full refund of all money paid by their clients, and must also offer to pay 15 per cent of the price of the relevant package tour but not exceeding HK$1,000 to their clients as compensation within three working days.

If Hong Kong Travel Agents cancel a package tour destined for Guangdong Province prior to its scheduled departure, they must notify their clients of the cancellation at least one day in advance excluding the departure date.

Failing that, they must make a full refund of all the money paid by their clients, and must also offer to pay 15 per cent of the price of the relevant package tour but not exceeding HK$1,000 to their clients as compensation within three working days.

For enquiries or complaints, please call TIC Consumer Relations Department on (852)2969-8188 or download the Complaint-handling Procedures and Complaint Form for Outbound Travellers or fill in and submit the form online .

Check upon Entry Requirements of Your Destination

Check the visa requirements of your destination with respective consulates in Hong Kong. You may also refer to the website of the Immigration Department, or call the Department on (852)2824-6111 .

For information about news of disease outbreaks, vaccinations, health advice, etc, go to the website Hong Kong Travellers' Health Service launched by the Port Health Office, or contact the Port Health Travel Health Centre on (852)2961-8840 or (852)2368-3361 for details.

Certified Hong Kong Tour Escorts

Tour escorts leading outbound tours must obtain a Tour Escort Pass issued by the TIC and wear their escort card on the chest while on duty. For information about certified tour escorts, please go to the Outbound Tour Escort Directory .

 

Although this Hong Kong website have made every effort to be accurate, we can make no warranty or guarantee as to the correctness of all information listed here.
You can be sure that schedules and policies do change. One way to be sure is to call or book ahead.
In a similar manner, we do not guarantee the claims made by our sponsors and advertisers. Caveat emptor!

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