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With the Lunar New Year around the corner, numerous tourists will visit Hong Kong to enjoy the traditional Chinese festive celebrations. The Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA), Home Affairs Department (HAD), will step up enforcement actions during the long holiday, which will include increasing the number of blitz and joint operations with other departments to combat unlicensed guesthouses, to ensure the safety of patrons of these establishments and the general public.
A spokesman for the HAD said, "The OLA will conduct day and night large-scale inter-departmental joint operations in tourist accommodation hotspots. The operations will also be mounted during public holidays."
The public can also report suspected illegal guesthouses through the OLA hotline (2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk) or by fax (fax number: 2504 5805) using the report form downloaded from the website (www.hadla.gov.hk).
The spokesman added, "We appeal to tourists to patronise licensed guesthouses for a safe stay in Hong Kong, as unlicensed guesthouses may not comply with the prescribed building and fire safety standards and will pose threats to the safety of occupants as well as other residents and visitors to the building. It is a criminal offence to operate an unlicensed guesthouse and offenders are liable to imprisonment upon conviction, leading to a criminal record."
To help tourists search for the latest details and locations of licensed hotels, guesthouses, holiday flats and holiday camps anytime and anywhere for a safe stay in Hong Kong, the HAD launched the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses" today (February 10). Tourists and members of the public can also report suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA through the mobile application. They can search for "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses" at the Apple App Store or on Google Play, or scan the attached QR code, to download the mobile application for free.
Tourists can also find a list of licensed hotels and guesthouses on the OLA's website. In addition, a Licensed Guesthouse Logo Scheme launched by the OLA requires all licensed guesthouses to display a special logo at the main entrance and on the doors of all guestrooms for easy identification.
The OLA will promote the importance of patronising licensed guesthouses through different channels such as YouTube videos, Announcements in the Public Interest on TV and radio stations, advertisements on buses and around MTR stations, and posters and banners in tourist accommodation hotspots. The OLA will also continue to collaborate with the Tourism Commission, the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong and the Consumer Council, to appeal to tourists to patronise licensed hotels and guesthouses and convey the message to the tourism authorities on the Mainland.
Ends/Tuesday, February 10, 2015
Issued at HKT 19:19
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