The Government announced jointly with the TIC the launch of the Characteristic Local Tourism Incentive Scheme(CTIS), eligible travel agents may receive cash incentives in respect of each participant from local and/or inbound tour with local characteristic they serve. 

The Government launched the three-year Cultural and Heritage Sites Local Tour Incentive Scheme (CHIS) in October 2022 which aims at incentivizing the travel trade to develop more tourism products and itineraries with cultural and heritage elements. CHIS received enthusiastic response from the trade with characteristic tourism products rolled out one after another. As such, the Government announced in the 2023 Policy Address that CHIS will be transformed into CTIS to provide more in-depth itinerary design, training, etc., with a view to encouraging the trade to develop more thematic tours, including national history, green ecology, marine, traditional culture, pop culture, intangible cultural heritage experiences, night time adventure, etc., thereby promoting the long-term and sustainable development of tourism industry.

The CTIS is divided into two parts, namely the in-depth travel and thematic travel with different levels of incentives and quotas for each type:

The application period of in-depth travel will be from 1 January 2024 until 31 July 2024. Eligible travel agents may receive cash incentives in respect of each participant of the characteristic local tourism they serve during 1 January and 31 June 2024. Details of the application for the thematic travel will be announced in mid-January, along with the promulgation of the six winning thematic itineraries under the Deeper into Hong Kong: Creative Itinerary Design Competition.