HAD reviews effectiveness of enhancement measures for guesthouse licensing and launches supplementary guideline

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To enhance the safety and management of hotels and guesthouses, the Home Affairs Department (HAD) introduced three enhancement measures at end-2015, and launched the "Guideline on New Licensing Requirements Under the Hotel and Guesthouse Accommodation Ordinance (Cap 349)" (the Guideline). The new measures have been in operation for a year. Having reviewed their effectiveness, the HAD finds their implementation to be generally smooth.

The trade can comply with the two enhancement measures requiring licensees to procure third party risks insurance policy and indicate clearly the type of licence issued in all promotional materials/advertisements related to individual guesthouses.

On the requirement of providing 24-hour manned counters at licensed guesthouses, the Guideline allows applicants to submit proposals for alternative measures on account of actual circumstances. The HAD has received various innovative proposals from applicants, which fully utilise technology like CCTV and other means of communication to fulfil the requirement. After consideration, the HAD is pleased to accept the suggestions and encourages the trade to comply with the relevant licensing requirements. The HAD has further published the "Supplementary Guideline on the Provision of 24-hour Manned Counter" for the trade's reference.

The Supplementary Guideline states that applicants should, within the areas under their management, offer means of 24-hour manned direct communication and proposals to effectively monitor the situation in the guesthouse. They should also pledge that help will be provided within around 20 minutes from the time of a patron's call. For more details, please visit the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) website (www.hadla.gov.hk).

The HAD implemented three new measures in December 2015 to enhance the licensing regime:

(a) all licensees will be required to procure a third party risks insurance policy with a minimum limit of indemnity of $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.

Ends/Tuesday, January 3, 2017
Issued at HKT 17:12

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