HAD enhances enforcement and in collaboration with local community, housing estates and residential buildings launches publicity against unlicensed guesthouses (with photos)

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     With the arrival of the festive season, to ensure the safety of tourists and combat unlicensed guesthouses, especially those advertising on online platforms, the Office of Licensing Authority (OLA) of the Home Affairs Department (HAD) has launched a new round of enforcement actions and public education initiatives. These will involve enhanced inspections of suspected unlicensed guesthouses and the posting of advisory notices to remind tourists that there are no licensed guesthouses in the targeted housing estates and residential buildings.

     OLA officers recently inspected suspected unlicensed guesthouses in housing estates and residential buildings in Hong Kong Island, Kowloon and the New Territories, and posted advisory notices in the common areas of the buildings, alerting visitors to the fact that there are no licensed guesthouses in those buildings.

     The advisory notices remind visitors that unlicensed guesthouses pose building and fire safety risks to lodgers and members of the public. Furthermore, insurance protection for personal safety and properties is not provided in case of accident.

     A spokesman for the HAD today (December 22) said, "We would like to thank members of the local community and owners' corporations of estates and buildings for their support for these enhanced enforcement and publicity efforts. The OLA will continue to post advisory notices at other target estates and residential buildings where there are no licensed guesthouses in the December festive season."

     In light of the increasing trend for unlicensed guesthouses to advertise sleeping accommodation via the Internet or mobile applications, the OLA has strengthened its intelligence collection by forming a dedicated team to browse web pages, mobile applications, social media, discussion fora, blogs and so forth. While tracking down suspected unlicensed guesthouse activities and taking necessary enforcement actions, the OLA also posts messages on the Internet to appeal to tourists to patronise licensed guesthouses.

     The OLA will also continue to step up publicity efforts to urge tourists to patronise licensed guesthouses via different channels, such as broadcasting Announcements in the Public Interest on TV, radio, public transportation, at immigration control points and on outdoor LED TV panels in tourist accommodation hotspots, as well as displaying posters and distributing leaflets at immigration control points. The OLA will also reinforce publicity on websites, mobile applications and YouTube, as well as work closely 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 guesthouses.

     The full list of licensed hotels and guesthouses is available on the OLA's webpage (www.hadla.gov.hk) and the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses". Members of the public and tourists with information about suspected unlicensed guesthouses should report to the OLA by telephone (tel: 2881 7498), by email (hadlaenq@had.gov.hk), by fax (2504 5805) using the report form downloaded from the OLA website, or through the mobile application "Hong Kong Licensed Hotels and Guesthouses".

Ends/Friday, December 22, 2017
Issued at HKT 18:40

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Officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority post advisory notices in the lobby of Hung Fai Building in Mong Kok, alerting visitors that there are no licensed guesthouses in the building.

Officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority step up law enforcement actions and inspect suspected unlicensed guesthouses to ensure the safety of lodgers and members of the public.

Officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority post advisory notices in the lobby of a residential block in City One Shatin, alerting visitors that there are no licensed guesthouses in the building.

Officers of the Office of the Licensing Authority (OLA) distribute pamphlets to residents to encourage them to report any information about suspected unlicensed guesthouses to the OLA.