Category: MIL-OSI

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The results of the Hong Kong Diploma of Secondary Education (HKDSE) Examination were released today (July 15). Young persons in custody (PICs) obtained satisfactory results in the examination this year.

     A total of 14 young PICs from Sha Tsui Correctional Institution (STCI), Pik Uk Correctional Institution and Lai King Correctional Institution enrolled in the HKDSE Examination this year. They took a total of 83 examination papers and obtained level 2/”Attained” or above in 66 papers, or 79.5 per cent of all papers taken. Four of them met the general entrance requirements for local universities, among whom one candidate at STCI scored the highest 22 marks in the best five subjects and obtained an “Attained” in Citizenship and Social Development, with level 5* in Chinese Language and Tourism and Hospitality Studies.

     The examinations sat included the four core subjects of Chinese Language, English Language, Mathematics, and Citizenship and Social Development, as well as two electives of Economics and Tourism and Hospitality Studies.

     The Superintendent of STCI, Mr Poon Ho-lam, said, “The Correctional Services Department (CSD) has been committed to providing up-to-date and diversified rehabilitation programmes, supporting PICs to turn over a new leaf. The Department assists young PICs to pursue educational courses and sit for public examinations, enabling them to achieve self-enhancement and make contributions to the society in the future.”

     Mr Poon added that taking the HKDSE Examination not only enabled young PICs to regain their self-confidence, but also helped them to find a clear direction in life. He encouraged PICs to maintain a proactive and earnest attitude to determinedly meet various challenges ahead. He called on the public to give rehabilitated persons fair opportunities and accept and support their reintegration into society.
 
     The CSD has provided education to help young PICs below 21 years of age to gain accredited qualifications and develop positive values, hoping that they can further their studies, take up employment and reintegrate into society after release. 

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Lam Wai-kong and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (July 15):
 
Question:
 
     Hong Kong has experienced several adverse weather events in recent years, which seriously affected the safety of employees working outdoors and commuting to and from work. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it has compiled statistics on the respective numbers of cases in which employees sustained an injury or died while at work and commuting to and from work due to adverse weather and extreme conditions in each year since 2024, as well as the number of labour disputes resulting from such cases; if not, whether the Government will collect the aforesaid statistics in the future;
 
(2) whether the Labour Department (LD) will consider incorporating guidelines into the “Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and ‘Extreme Conditions'” (Code of Practice) to recommend employers to conduct safety risk assessments in advance for employees who need to work in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions; if so, when it plans to revise the relevant Code of Practice; if not, the reasons for that;
 
(3) whether the LD will consider recommending in the Code of Practice that employers, after assigning “designated staff” on duty in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions, should provide the “designated staff” concerned with travel allowance covering the direct route from his place of work to his place of residence; if so, when it plans to amend the relevant Code of Practice; if not, the reasons for that; and
 
(4) given that some employers may abuse the “designated staff” arrangement under the Code of Practice to shift risks to insurance companies through the employees’ compensation insurance policies, resulting in insurance companies raising employees’ insurance premiums for the entire industry with the costs eventually borne by all employers in the industry, will the Government consider requiring the employers to take out additional insurance for “designated staff” working under adverse weather and extreme conditions, thereby preventing insurance companies from raising employees’ compensation premiums across the entire industry and alleviating the overall premium burden on employers?

Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Labour Department (LD) published the revised “Code of Practice in Times of Adverse Weather and ‘Extreme Conditions'” (CoP) in May this year, reinforcing the reminder to employers on three major principles of formulating work arrangements under adverse weather or extreme conditions, which include formulating work arrangements in advance, giving prime consideration to employees’ safety and complying with requirements of labour legislation. The current CoP also includes corporate examples for employers’ reference.
 
     The reply to the Member’s question is as follows:

(1) Under the Employees’ Compensation Ordinance (ECO), employers are liable to pay compensation for injuries or deaths occurred when employees are travelling by a direct route from their residences to their workplaces, or from their workplaces back to their residences after work, within a period of four hours before or after the working hours on a day when the adverse weather (including Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or higher, a Red or Black Rainstorm Warning Signal) or extreme conditions are in force. 

     During 2024 to June 2026, the numbers of reported employees’ compensation cases relating to the aforementioned adverse weather and extreme conditions received by the Employees’ Compensation Division of the LD are set out below:
 

	2024	2025	January to June 2026
Non-fatal cases	25	121	5
Fatal cases	0	1	0

     In general, the number of reported employees’ compensation cases relating to the adverse weather and extreme conditions received each year is inevitably affected by the weather conditions during the year, resulting in occasional greater fluctuations.
 
     On the other hand, the Labour Relations Division of the LD has started to capture the number of employment claims arising from adverse weather or extreme conditions since September 2025. As at June this year, no related claim was recorded.

(2) The CoP has stipulated that employers should make prior work arrangements and contingency measures in times of adverse weather and extreme conditions with employees and give prime consideration to the safety of employees. Wherever possible, employers should avoid assigning employees to work in times of adverse weather (such as tropical cyclones and rainstorms) or extreme conditions. If it is unavoidable that employees have to work under the above conditions, the employers should conduct risk assessment and take suitable safety measures in advance to minimise the work-related risks as far as reasonably practicable, so as to ensure the safety and health of the employees at work with a view to fulfilling the employers’ general duty provisions under the Occupational Safety and Health Ordinance.

(3) The CoP has emphasised that if employees are required to report for duty at workplaces when Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or higher, Black Rainstorm Warning Signal or extreme conditions are in force (i.e. “designated staff”) without provision of transport service to and from their workplaces by employers, the employers should grant these employees a travelling allowance. The CoP has included corporate examples to illustrate such arrangements for reference of employers and employees.

(4) The ECO stipulates that all employers shall have in force a policy of insurance to cover their liabilities under the law (including the common law), encompassing liabilities to pay compensation if an employee (including a “designated staff”) sustains an injury or dies as a result of an accident while commuting between his residence and workplace within the period of adverse weather or during which extreme conditions are in force. Insurance companies in general will take into account the underwriting risks of different industries/occupations, the earnings of employees, the claims history of and the risk prevention measures taken by the employers concerned, etc. in drawing up insurance premium quotations.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by Dr the Hon Elvin Lee and a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, in the Legislative Council today (July 15):

Question:

     The Consumer Council (Council) announced at the beginning of this year that the overall number of complaints received in 2025 has ended the three-consecutive-year upward trend, falling back to 38 187, a decrease of 6 per cent compared with 2024. However, there were 18 913 online shopping complaints in the same year, representing a year-on-year increase of 12 per cent and accounting for about 50 per cent of the overall complaints, up from 42 per cent in the preceding year. The total amount involved also increased substantially by 45 per cent to nearly $93 million. In addition, complaints lodged by Hong Kong consumers against Mainland merchants concerning online shopping and non-online shopping have also risen by over 40 per cent respectively, a situation which is a cause for concern. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the numbers of reports concerning unfair trade practices in online shopping received by the authorities and the relevant enforcement figures in 2024 and 2025, as well as the year-on-year increases in the relevant figures; whether the authorities will introduce further measures to step up inspections and enforcement against unfair trade practices in online shopping; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(2) whether the authorities will conduct a dedicated study on reports and complaints about unfair trade practices, so as to ascertain the main categories of goods or industries to which the increased reports and complaints relate; whether the authorities will further review whether the existing legislation, such as the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (Cap. 362) and the Sale of Goods Ordinance (Cap. 26), is adequate to regulate online shopping services, and whether the authorities will consider enacting dedicated legislation to strengthen regulation (in particular targeting cross-boundary online shopping); if so, of the details and implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) given that the Council has joined the “Online Shopping Consumer Protection Express Platform” scheme established by the China Consumers’ Association, and has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to further establish a collaboration mechanism for consumer protection with the Guangdong Consumer Council, whether the Government is aware of whether the Council has assessed the effectiveness of these mechanisms in handling complaints involving Mainland e-commerce traders in recent years, and whether the Council will step up promotion to the public of the channels for lodging complaints about cross-boundary online shopping services; and

(4) given that there are views pointing out that consumers lack understanding of differences in product standards and legal liability in cross-boundary online shopping, whether the Government will step up public education, such as publicising online-shopping “anti-scam tips” and risk reminders for cross-boundary consumption through various media, so as to enhance public vigilance?

Reply:

President,

     As online shopping has become increasingly popular in recent years, consumer habits are gradually shifting from brick-and-mortar models to online channels, and many traders are selling goods or services through online shopping platforms. In view of the changing market landscape, the Consumer Council (Council) has noted a recent increase in complaints regarding goods or services purchased online, as well as a rise in the proportion of such complaints relative to the total. In 2025, complaints regarding online shopping accounted for 50 per cent of the Council’s total complaints, up from 42 per cent in 2024. This rise is primarily due to the increased frequency of transactions conducted online for specific types of goods or services, such as hotel reservations and event ticket purchases. The Government has been committed to considering how to enhance consumer protection, ensuring that transactions take place in an environment that is fair and safeguards the rights and interests of both consumers and traders, regardless of whether goods or services are provided online. In view of the prevalence of online shopping, the Government is also actively strengthening its efforts to protect consumers in this area.

     In response to Dr the Hon Elvin Lee’s question, our reply is as follows:

(1) and (2) The Government is committed to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of consumers. Currently, various laws in Hong Kong regulate consumer activities conducted through both physical and online channels. For example, the Sale of Goods Ordinance (Cap. 26), the Control of Exemption Clauses Ordinance (Cap. 71), the Supply of Services (Implied Terms) Ordinance (Cap. 457) and the Unconscionable Contracts Ordinance (Cap. 458) have laid down provisions to regulate relevant consumer contracts, including stipulating implied conditions in the contract of sale of goods (for example, the goods supplied are of merchantable quality and that a buyer has the right to reject defective goods unless he or she has a reasonable opportunity to examine the goods); a supplier of a service is obliged to carry out the service with reasonable care and skill and within a reasonable time; and the courts are empowered to refuse to enforce, or to revise unconscionable terms in consumer contracts for the sale of goods or supply of services.

     On the other hand, the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (Cap. 362) (TDO) prohibits traders from engaging in unfair trade practices against consumers, including false trade descriptions, misleading omissions, aggressive commercial practices, bait advertising, bait and switch, and wrongly accepting payment. The TDO covers both goods and services, and is applicable to both physical and online traders.

     As the principal enforcement agency of the TDO, the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) is committed to combatting unfair trade practices at source, and adopts a three-pronged approach, including compliance promotion targeting traders, enforcement actions, and publicity and public education.

     Regardless of whether sales or transactions are conducted online, the C&ED will take resolute enforcement action if there is any suspected unfair trade practice. Regarding online shopping, the C&ED received 3 602 and 2 526 complaints concerning suspected unfair trade practices in 2024 and 2025 respectively. During the same period, the C&ED successfully prosecuted four cases involving unfair trade practices in online shopping. The C&ED has been closely monitoring complaint figures and trends, including the sectors most frequently associated with unfair trade practices, the goods and services involved, and sales channels, and adjusting its enforcement strategies in light of actual circumstances. To address unfair trade practices associated with online shopping, in addition to following up on reported cases, the C&ED will monitor different types of illegal online activities by using tools for evidence collection and investigation, and initiate follow-up actions and prosecutions where appropriate. If local or overseas websites are found to be conducting illegal activities, the C&ED may demand such websites to remove the relevant contents or links. Depending on the circumstances, joint operations with overseas enforcement agencies will also be mounted as and when required. If the cases involve offences falling outside the purview of the C&ED (such as the offence of fraud), the C&ED will refer such cases to other relevant law enforcement agencies for immediate follow-up.

     In addition, the C&ED has proactively engaged with major online Mainland shopping platforms to establish communication mechanisms, facilitate exchanges, and strengthen compliance promotion. Earlier this year, the C&ED signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with two cross-border e-commerce platforms, Taobao Tmall Hong Kong and Jingdong Group, to establish closer communication and collaboration mechanisms, strengthen compliance promotion, thereby providing more comprehensive protection of consumers’ rights and interests.

     The Government will continue to keep a close watch on relevant complaint and enforcement figures, and review trends in unfair trade practices so as to formulate appropriate response strategies in protecting consumers’ rights and interests.

(3) and (4) The Council endeavours to study and promote the protection of consumers’ rights and interests, and carries out its statutory functions in accordance with the Consumer Council Ordinance (Cap. 216), including the handling of complaints relating to goods and services of and the provision of advice to consumers, conducting surveys and studies on issues of consumers’ interest, as well as disseminating consumer information through CHOICE articles.

     The Council has actively strengthened the protection of consumers’ rights and interests in cross-border online shopping. In addition to participating on a trial basis in the “Online Shopping Consumer Protection Express Platform” established by the China Consumers’ Association, the Council signed an MOU to further establish a collaboration mechanism for consumer protection with the Guangdong Consumer Council in 2024, to strengthen co-operation between Guangdong and Hong Kong in safeguarding consumer rights and interests through cross-boundary complaint referrals, sharing of consumer information and regular exchanges, enhance the efficiency of resolving cross-boundary consumer disputes, and promote the integrated development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area’s consumer markets.

     In addition, the Council has been actively seeking to sign MOUs with consumer protection organisations in various places to establish a mechanism for referring cross-border complaints, including Macao and more than 30 Mainland provinces and municipalities. When the Council receives complaints regarding cross-border online shopping that involve non-local traders, the Council handles and follows up on these cases in an orderly and effective manner in accordance with established complaint handling mechanisms, through case referrals and information exchange with relevant consumer protection organisations. The Council will continue to handle cross-border online shopping complaints along the above direction and encourage consumers to seek assistance when needed.

     To more effectively safeguard consumer rights and interests in cross-border online shopping, in October 2025, the Council established the Working Group on Cross-border Consumer Protection and E-commerce Development, comprising representatives from local and Mainland e-commerce enterprises and other stakeholders to provide professional advice on relevant standards development, industry best practices and trends in cross-border consumer complaints etc, thereby strengthening the protection of consumers’ rights and interests in respect of cross-border online shopping activities and reducing consumer disputes. To address cross-border consumer issues arising from differences in laws and standards between Hong Kong and other places concerning various goods, the Council will remind consumers from time to time of the potential risks associated with cross-border consumer activities. For example, last year, the Council issued a consumer alert jointly with the Guangdong Consumer Council and Macao Special Administrative Region Government Consumer Council, appealing to consumers to pay careful attention to the differences in policies, logistics arrangements and product standards among the three places, and has published relevant CHOICE articles on relevant topics from time to time.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Ray Wong and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau, in the Legislative Council today (July 15):
 
Question:
 
     According to the Hong Kong Film Industry Data 2025, a total of 275 films were released in Hong Kong last year, of which only 41 were Hong Kong films, while total box office revenue (first-run films) for the year was about $1.05 billion, representing a year-on-year decline of about 17 per cent. Regarding the measures to support Hong Kong’s film industry, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) whether it has assessed the impact of the closure of a number of cinemas and the decline in box office revenue in recent years on Hong Kong’s film production chain and local practitioners in the film industry, as well as the effectiveness of the Film Development Fund and other support measures; whether it will consider providing short-term support to cinema operators, including rental relief or tax concessions, in order to maintain the sustainable development of Hong Kong’s cinema network and the industry;
 
(2) whether it will consider increasing the frequency of the Cinema Day event, collaborating with the business sector to offer cinema-going promotions and ticket-holder spending activities, and formulating a more systematic strategy for promoting cultural consumption that integrates tourism, catering, night economy and mega events, so as to foster the synergistic development of the film industry and other cultural and creative industries, thereby expanding the local cinema-going market; and
 
(3) what long-term strategies are in place to help Hong Kong films tap into the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area and overseas markets, and to explore with the Mainland authorities ways to improve the distribution as well as vetting and approval arrangements for Hong Kong-produced films, thereby promoting the “going global” of Hong Kong films?
 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     The Government has been closely monitoring the development of the Hong Kong film industry (including cinemas) and maintaining close communication with the trade. The Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) has launched various funding schemes through the Film Development Fund (FDF) to enhance quality film production, nurture talent and build audience, with a view to propelling the long-term development of the film industry.
 
     My reply to the question raised by the Hon Ray Wong is as follows:
 
(1) and (2) The supply and operation of cinemas are market-driven. In recent years, various factors such as the impact of the pandemic, diversified entertainment sources and increasing use of home theatres, have caused change in audience viewing habits, leading to a contraction in global film investment and an underwhelming attendance rate of the cinemas. Against these macro environments, cinemas in Hong Kong are, understandably, also facing challenges in operation. At present, there are 54 cinemas in Hong Kong across all 18 districts, higher than the number of 48 cinemas 10 years ago (in 2016), and not far from the pre-pandemic level of 61 in 2019.  Some cinemas that folded have since reopened under new operators.
 
     In terms of box office performance, in the first half of 2026, the total box office revenue of Hong Kong cinemas was 25 per cent high than that of the same period in 2025, while the box office revenue for Hong Kong films alone reached $286 million, already having surpassed the total annual revenue of Hong Kong films in 2025 by 32 per cent. In fact, the total cinema box office revenue in 2025 amounted to $1,131 million, which was comparable to the average over the preceding five years (2020 to 2024) of $1,133 million. When compared with the pre-pandemic level, the total box office revenue in 2025 dropped by around 41 per cent from $1,923 million in 2019, while the box office revenue of Hong Kong films alone decreased by around 14 per cent only. This demonstrates that the decline in total box office revenue of Hong Kong cinemas was mainly attributed to the lack of international blockbusters.
 
     The Government has been actively promoting the development of Hong Kong film industry. Since 2007, the Government has injected over $2.9 billion into the FDF. As at the end of June 2026, about 500 projects had been approved with $1.5 billion committed, which includes an amount of $600 million for financing or subsidising more than 120 films, which have engaged over 120 emerging directors and producers, thereby helped groom new blood for the industry. These films also garnered over 370 nominations and won more than 290 awards in total at local and international film awards and film festivals. Some of these films have achieved remarkable box office results, such as “A Guilty Conscience”, the first local film to accumulate a box office of over $100 million in Hong Kong; and “Another World”, the highest-grossing Hong Kong animated film in local box office of all time.
 
     To attract audiences to cinemas to watch movies and broaden the audience base, the FDF has, since 2023, sponsored the Hong Kong Theatres Association (HKTA) to organise the Cinema Day annually in April or May, and the 1st October Movie Fiesta: Half-price Spectacular on the National Day. Data shows that average admissions on event days increased by about four times and box office revenue increased by about three times compared with usual days, demonstrating that these initiatives are effective in encouraging movie-going, while benefiting the cinema industry at the same time. The HKTA and cinemas also took these opportunities to collaborate with nearby restaurants and shops to launch promotional offers, enabling the public to relive the leisure routine of “shopping, dining, and movie-going” to stimulate surrounding economic activities. Although these concessionary activities have proven effective in attracting audiences, it does not mean that effectiveness could be increased by simply raising the frequency of events. The Government needs to assess a variety of factors, including the fiscal implications on the Government and marginal utility of the measures. We will engage in discussion with the trade on this matter.
 
     To broaden the income sources of cinemas, CCIDA has been following up on the views of the HKTA and has co-ordinated communication between the trade and relevant government departments (including the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Fire Services Department, and the Buildings Department) to streamline the application procedures for cinemas to be used for live performances. The streamlined procedures are expected to be implemented in Q3 this year.
 
     Actually, attracting audiences to go back to cinemas requires a multipronged approach. The Government has also proactively developed film-related tourism hotspots in recent years, to enhance the interest in Hong Kong films amongst local citizens and tourists and to ensure the sustained visibility of Hong Kong films outside the cinemas. In May 2025 and January 2026 respectively, CCIDA launched two movie set exhibitions, namely, “Kowloon Walled City: A Cinematic Journey” and “Yau Ma Tei Police Station: A Cinematic Journey”, to promote the synergies of the film industry and tourism. Both exhibitions have received positive feedbacks, and CCIDA will continue to actively promote various measures that foster cultural and tourism integration.
 
(3) The Government is committed to expanding the markets for Hong Kong films in Chinese Mainland and overseas. The FDF has launched several schemes to promote co-productions, including the Hong Kong-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme, the Hong Kong-Europe-Asian Film Collaboration Funding Scheme, the Film Financing Scheme for Mainland Market, and the Film Production Grant Scheme for Promoting Chinese Culture.
 
     Furthermore, the FDF launched the Film Festival Promotion Scheme and sponsored the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices overseas to collaborate with local film institutions and festivals, leading industry delegations to participate in renowned film festivals and sponsoring organisation of Hong Kong film programmes outside Hong Kong. These initiatives aim to promote emerging talents and facilitate communication and business collaboration with the industry’s international counterparts.
 
     Regarding the Chinese Mainland market, the “platform release” model introduced in recent years allows films to be released in specific cinema chains, different cities/regions, or multiple runs before nationwide theatrical release. This new model offers new opportunities. CCIDA will continue to encourage the trade to leverage various relaxation measures under the Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement which promote mutual benefits and joint and complementary development of the film industries in Hong Kong and the Chinese Mainland.
 
     The film market is ever evolving, and the support measures of the FDF must also keep pace with the times. We will maintain close communication with the trade, and provide in a timely manner financial and other forms of support tailored to the industry’s needs, such as strengthening assistance for location filming and increasing the number of platforms to enhance the visibility of Hong Kong films, thereby fostering the long-term development of the film industry.

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Vivian Kong and a written reply by the Secretary for Labour and Welfare, Mr Chris Sun, in the Legislative Council today (July 15):

Question:

     It is learnt that as the number of visitors to Hong Kong has been picking up gradually, the accelerated transformation and upgrading of the tourism industry in Hong Kong are underway. However, the industry is still experiencing manpower shortages of varying degrees in multiple areas, such as hotels, tour guides, operation of tourist attractions, ancillary transport facilities supporting tourism, logistic support, thereby affecting the tourist receiving capacity. On the other hand, quite a number of elderly, middle-aged and retired persons in Hong Kong possess extensive work experience, and some of them are willing to re-enter the workforce on a full-time, part-time, or flexible working basis. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective breakdowns of the number of employed persons and employment rates by age group (i.e. people aged between 40 and 44, 45 and 49, 50 and 54, 55 and 59, 60 and 64, and those aged 65 or above) in the past two years; among them, the numbers and percentages of those employed in the tourism industry;

(2) of the respective numbers of applications, approvals and successful job placements under the Employment Programme for the Elderly and Middle-aged (EPEM) and the Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme (the Pilot Scheme) in relation to participants from each of the age groups mentioned in (1) in the past two years; among which, the number of cases involving positions in tourism industry (including hotels, airlines, travel agencies, tour guides, operation of tourist attractions, ancillary transport facilities supporting tourism);

(3) whether the Government will review the major eligibility criteria for the Pilot Scheme (i.e. applicants must have not engaged in any paid work for three consecutive months or more before joining the Pilot Scheme) to fully encourage and unleash the labour force to re-enter the job market;

(4) whether the Government will, in response to the emergence of thematic tourism, such as silver tourism, in-depth cultural tours, industrial tourism, green eco-tourism, sustainable tourism, encourage collaboration among the tourism sector, vocational training bodies and the relevant departments in offering targeted training courses for elderly, middle-aged and retired persons, and explore provision of additional or enhanced on-the-job training allowance to help them acquire the necessary skills and professional qualifications;

(5) whether the Government will consider further streamlining the application and approval processes under the EPEM, in particular to reduce the administrative burden on small and medium-sized travel agencies, tourist attraction operators, and tourism-related businesses, in order to provide additional incentives for the industry to hire elderly and middle-aged persons; and

(6) whether the Government will work with the Labour Department, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau, the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Vocational Training Council, and the tourism sector to relax the current requirement by conducting the surveys on manpower demand and manpower update in the tourism industry at more regular intervals from once every four years to once a year or once every two years, and to formulate tailored manpower development strategies for the tourism industry based on manpower gaps in various job categories, such as hotels, airlines, travel agencies, tour guides, operation of tourist attractions, transport and logistic support, so as to incorporate the re-employment of elderly and middle-aged persons into the long-term plan for manpower development in the tourism industry?

Reply:

President,

     The Government encourages people of various age groups, including older and middle-aged persons as well as retired individuals, to join different areas of the tourism industry to give play to their talents, and jointly promote the development of Hong Kong’s tourism industry.

     In consultation with the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB), and the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD), a consolidated reply to the Member’s question is provided as follows:

(1) In 2024 and 2025, a breakdown of numbers of employed persons, unemployed persons and unemployment rates in Hong Kong by specified age groups is set out at Annex 1. The C&SD does not maintain statistics on a breakdown of employment figures by the tourism industry. Annex 1 provides the breakdown of relevant figures by the retail, accommodation and food services industries which are closely related to consumption and tourism activities.

(2) The Labour Department (LD) implements the Employment Programme for the Elderly and Middle-aged (EPEM) to encourage employers to hire persons aged 40 or above and provide them with on-the-job training (OJT). Upon completion of employees’ OJT under the EPEM, employers may apply for a maximum OJT allowance of $5,000 per month for three to 12 months for each employee. In 2024 and 2025, EPEM recorded 4 443 and 4 491 eligible placements respectively.

     The LD launched the three-year Re-employment Allowance Pilot Scheme (REA Scheme) in July 2024 to encourage persons aged 40 or above who have not been in any paid work for three consecutive months or more to rejoin the employment market. Each eligible participant who has worked full-time for six consecutive months will be provided with re-employment allowance (REA) of $10,000, while those who have worked full-time for 12 consecutive months will be given an additional allowance of $10,000. Half-rate REA will be given to those who have worked part-time. Each eligible participant may receive a maximum REA of $20,000 during the implementation of the REA Scheme. The response to the REA Scheme is very favourable, with 63 900 participants and 36 237 placements recorded in total during 2024 to 2025.

     Statistics on the EPEM and the REA Scheme for the past two years are set out at Annex 2 and Annex 3. The LD does not keep breakdowns of the figures by the tourism industry. The Annexes provide the breakdowns of relevant figures by the restaurants and hotels industry which is closely related to the tourism industry.

(3) To encourage the potential labour force of older and middle-aged persons to join the employment market, the REA Scheme specifies that participants shall not have been engaged in any paid work for three consecutive months or more before joining the Scheme. The  LD is conducting a mid-term review of the REA Scheme, along with the EPEM, to explore appropriate measures to encourage the employment of older and middle-aged persons.

(4) and (5) To attract more talents to join the tourism industry, the Travel Industry Authority (TIA) is actively implementing various measures under the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0 (Blueprint 2.0) to enhance talent development. These include launching the specialised tourist guide licensing programme, under which specialised tourist guide (STG) licences are issued covering individual professional areas to encourage individuals with specialised knowledge to become specialised tourist guides. This STG licensing programme will facilitate older and middle-aged persons as well as retired individuals who often possess extensive knowledge of history and culture, and with rich life exposure and a strong wish to serve, to join the tourism industry as specialised tourist guides in specific fields.

     Any individuals aged 18 or above may obtain or renew their tourist guide and tour escort licences through enroling in relevant courses and passing the examinations. The TIA does not impose any upper age limit for obtaining a licence. At present, many travel agents hire tourist guides and tour escorts on a part-time basis, which is particularly suitable for older and middle-aged persons as well as retired individuals as it allows relatively flexible working hours.

     In addition, the TIA launches the training subsidy scheme for practitioners of the travel industry to subsidise individuals who newly enter the profession as tourist guides and tour escorts for joining training, licensing examinations and course fees for a certificate of competency in first-aid, with an aim to attract more people, including older and middle-aged persons as well as retired individuals, to join the industry and become tourist guides and tour escorts. The upgraded Upskill Hong Kong will also continue to offer tourism-related training courses to meet market demand.

     To provide enhanced incentives for employers to hire older and middle-aged persons, the LD increased the amount of OJT allowance for employers to engage eligible job seekers under the EPEM in 2018 and 2020. The LD closely monitors the implementation of EPEM including the application and assessment procedures as well as the amount of allowance, and will review and explore enhancement measures in a timely manner in light of the employment market condition and the views of stakeholders.

(6) The Government conducts the Manpower Projection every five years, with a mid-term update, to assess from the macro perspective the trends of future manpower supply and requirements for different local key sectors, including the tourism industry. The projection findings help the Government and various stakeholders, including businesses and training institutions, to get hold of the situation of manpower and skills shortages in key industries and trades in Hong Kong, so as to formulate more precise short-term and medium- to long-term strategies on the manpower development training and employment in their responsible industries. The latest round of manpower projections was released in November 2024. The Government is currently conducting a mid-term update of the Manpower Projection, using the latest 2025 situation as the baseline to update the projections for the manpower situation in 2028. The findings are expected to be released in the fourth quarter of 2026.

     The Vocational Training Council (VTC) also conducts regular manpower surveys for 24 major industries in Hong Kong (including the tourism industry) to keep abreast of the latest market trends.  The VTC conducts a comprehensive survey with relevant industry organisations every four years, supplemented by two updates in the intervening period. When formulating the relevant survey parameters, the VTC will consult relevant policy bureaus, the industry, and its respective Training Boards as necessary.

     In addition, the Government has always maintained close ties with relevant stakeholders, including the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the TIA, the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Hotels Association, and the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, so as to continuously and promptly understand the latest manpower needs across different sectors of the tourism industry (including various job categories such as hotels, travel agents, tourist guides and back-office support), the challenges faced on the front lines and potential manpower shortages. In addition, TIA assesses the manpower needs of travel agents for front-line staff using questionnaires, so as to formulate a more detailed and comprehensive manpower strategy. The Government will continue to adopt a flexible and multi-pronged approach to address the industry’s manpower needs.