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Government announces appointments to Travel Industry Authority
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     The Government announced today (December 6) that the Chief Executive has appointed Mr Ma Ho-fai as the Chairperson of the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) and 28 persons as ordinary members of the TIA for a period of two years with effect from January 1, 2020. The appointments were made in accordance with section 1 in Schedule 9 to the Travel Industry Ordinance (TIO) (Chapter 634).

     The TIA is a new statutory regulatory body of the travel industry established under the TIO. It is primarily responsible for the licensing and regulation of travel agents, tourist guides and tour escorts.

     On the appointments, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, said, "The TIA will take up a range of challenging tasks in establishing itself as a new regulator of the travel industry in Hong Kong. Mr Ma has rich experience in public service. We are confident that under his leadership, the TIA will work closely with different stakeholders in setting up a new robust regulatory regime for the travel industry.

     "Apart from the Chairperson and the Vice-chairperson (the Commissioner for Tourism), there are 28 ordinary members, namely 13 trade members and 15 non-trade members, in the TIA. The trade members comprise individuals who are engaged in inbound and outbound travel agent business, tourist guides and tour escorts, and members of the Board of Directors of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC), enabling the TIA to have representation from a broad spectrum of the trade.

     "For the non-trade members, they come from various fields and can provide valuable advice to the TIA with their expertise and experience in the respective areas, including law, accountancy, finance, education, consumer affairs and general administration, thereby contributing to the setting up of a comprehensive and effective regulatory regime for the travel industry."

     The following is the membership list of the TIA:

Chairperson:              Mr Ma Ho-fai

Vice-chairperson:       Commissioner for Tourism

Ordinary members:     Trade members
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                                 Ms Lanny Leung Kong-lan
                                 Mr Paul Leung Yiu-lam
                                 Mr Martin Ma Yuk-man
                                 Dr Priscilla Poon Chau-min
                                 Mr Jason Shum Jiu-sang
                                 Ms Catherine So Ka-woon
                                 Mrs Ann Tang Yu Li-hua
                                 Mr Tse Yun-sang
                                 Mr Jason Wong Chun-tat
                                 Mr Wong Ka-ngai
                                 Ms Gianna Wong Mei-kiu
                                 Mr Michael Wu Siu-ieng
                                 Mr Yiu Pak-leung

                                 Non-trade members
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                                 Ms Dilys Chau Suet-fung
                                 Ms Kerry Ching Kim-wai
                                 Mr Alex Fan Hoi-kit
                                 Professor Cathy Hsu Hui-chun
                                 Mr Chris Ip Ngo-tung
                                 Mr Victor Lam Hoi-cheung
                                 Mr Kevin Lam Sze-cay
                                 Mr Johnny Leung Ka-kui
                                 Mr Fred Li Wah-ming
                                 Ms Elaine Liu Yuk-ling
                                 Dr Barry Mak Lui-ming
                                 Mr James Tong Wai-pong
                                 Mr Wilfred Wong Kam-pui
                                 Mr Adrian Wong Koon-man
                                 Mr Charles Yang Chuen-liang

     The Government expects that it will take about two years for the TIA, upon establishment, to complete all necessary preparation before taking over the licensing and trade regulatory functions from the Travel Agents Registry and the TIC respectively for the full implementation of the new regulatory regime.
 
Ends/Friday, December 6, 2019
Issued at HKT 15:00
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