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With Christmas and New Year around the corner and numerous tourists visiting Hong Kong, the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department (HAD) has stepped up enforcement actions against unlicensed guesthouses to ensure the safety of patrons and the general public since last weekend.
A spokesman for the HAD said, "The OLA conducts day and night surprise inspections, decoy operations and large-scale inter-departmental joint operations in tourist accommodation hotspots, including those in which tourists make reservations online. Operations will also be mounted during public holidays."
The spokesman stressed that unlicensed guesthouses may not comply with the prescribed building structure 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 fine and imprisonment upon conviction, leading to a criminal record.
In the first 11 months of this year, the OLA carried out over 11 400 inspections targeting unlicensed guesthouses and instituted 133 prosecutions. The total number of convictions was 118, among which some were related to unlicensed guesthouses holding out through online platforms.
Noting that some unlicensed guesthouses publicise and let out sleeping accommodation through the Internet or mobile applications, the OLA has set up a dedicated team to strengthen its intelligence collection and enforcement capability. The team also posts messages on the Internet to appeal to tourists to patronise licensed guesthouses. The OLA will closely monitor suspected unlicensed guesthouses which solicit business through the online platforms and take the necessary enforcement actions.
In addition, the OLA will continue to step up publicity efforts to urge visitors to patronise licensed guesthouses via different channels such as broadcasting Announcements in the Public Interest on TV, radio, minibuses, websites, online discussion forums and at various immigration control points; and posters and leaflets at immigration control points.
Tourists may view a list of licensed hotels and guesthouses in different districts through the OLA's website (www.hadla.gov.hk) or the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses". The Licensed Guesthouse Logo Scheme launched by the OLA also requires all licensed guesthouses to display a special logo at the main entrance and on the doors of all guestrooms for easy identification.
To enhance the safety and management of hotels and guesthouses, the HAD will implement three new measures to enhance the licensing regime with effect from December 28, 2015, including:
(a) all licencees will be required to procure a third party risks insurance policy with a minimum limit of indemnity of HK$10 million per event;
(b) guesthouse licensees will be required to provide a 24-hour manned counter at their guesthouses; and
(c) the OLA will issue four different forms of licences, namely hotel, guesthouse (general), guesthouse (holiday flat) and guesthouse (holiday camp), on the basis of the approved use of the premises. A guesthouse licensee is required to indicate clearly the type of licence issued in all promotional materials/advertisements related to the guesthouse for tourists' identification.
For the new requirements (a) and (b) above, a grace period of 12 months will be given to the existing licensees so that they would have sufficient time to make necessary arrangements. Please visit the OLA website (www.hadla.gov.hk) for relevant information.
The HAD is now preparing an amendment bill to introduce other proposals to improve the licensing regime and enhance enforcement actions against unlicensed guesthouses. The amendment bill will be submitted to the Legislative Council for scrutiny upon completion of the drafting work.
Ends/Friday, December 18, 2015
Issued at HKT 11:30
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