It has come to the TIC’s attention that some tourist guides have asked other tourist guides to receive mainland inbound visitors without the permission of their travel agents. According to the Service Agreement between Hong Kong Receiving Agent and Tourist Guide for Mainland Tours in Directive No. 201, tourist guides must not allow others to assist them in receiving mainland inbound tours or to receive the tours in their stead unless such people are assigned by their travel agents. The TIC wishes to stress that tourist guides arranging for others to provide reception services for inbound visitors without the permission of their travel agents may have violated Directive No. 201.

Recently, there were news reports that some tourist guides were suspected of accepting rebates from unlicensed joss-stick hawkers outside the Wong Tai Sin Temple. Tourist guides are reminded that accepting rebates without employer permission may breach Section 9 of the Prevention of Bribery Ordinance (see Appendix to the Code of Conduct for Tourist Guides).

Besides, tourist guides are found from time to time to have failed to wear their Tourist Guide Pass when providing reception services for visitors. They are reminded again that once they begin to receive tour groups, they must wear on their chest the Tourist Guide Pass issued by the TIC throughout the journey (including when the tour groups go shopping and sightseeing) for identification by visitors and verification by TIC inspectors. Failure to do so will violate the Code of Conduct for Tourist Guides.

For details of the latest rules and regulations, please visit the website of the TIC ( www.tichk.org ) or call the Inbound Department on 2807-1199.