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LCQ12: Combating the illegal sale of controlled anti-obesity drugs

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     Following is a question by the Hon Nixie Lam and a written reply by the Secretary for Health, Professor Lo Chung-mau, in the Legislative Council today (May 13):

Question:

     It has been reported that the illegal sale of drugs commonly known as “slimming injections” (glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) class injectable prescription drugs) has recently persisted on social media platforms, online shopping channels and messaging application groups. It is learnt that many members of the public have purchased the relevant unregistered drugs or parallel-imported drugs through illegal channels without undergoing professional assessment by a doctor or without a valid doctor’s prescription, posing significant risks to their health. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of reports received, arrests made and prosecutions instituted by the authorities in relation to the illegal online sale or supply of weight-loss injection-type prescription drugs in the past 12 months; and of the respective numbers of enforcement operations launched by the Department of Health, the Customs and Excise Department and the Police against such illegal acts, the quantities of illegal drugs seized, the number of cases in which prosecutions were instituted and the penalties imposed in convicted cases;

(2) whether the Government has conducted interdepartmental joint monitoring and enforcement in respect of the current circulation modes, cross-boundary transportation channels and major sales platforms for the illegal online sale of weight-loss injection-type prescription drugs, including conducting comprehensive inspections and intercepting illegal sales activities on social media platforms and the Internet, as well as combating the cross-boundary illegal importation of the relevant drugs; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that;

(3) whether the authorities will review the existing legislation relating to drug regulation to strengthen the penalties for the illegal sale and supply of prescription drugs so as to enhance the deterrent effect, as well as to step up the relevant law enforcement work; if so, of the details and the implementation timetable; if not, the reasons for that; and

(4) whether the authorities will step up publicity to members of the public on the health risks of the unauthorised use of weight-loss injection-type drugs which are unregistered or purchased through illegal channels, and appeal to members of the public not to purchase and use prescription drugs through illegal channels; if so, of the details?

Reply:

President,

     Having consulted the Department of Health (DH), the Customs and Excise Department (C&ED) and the Hong Kong Police Force, the consolidated reply to the Hon Nixie Lam’s question is as follows:

     In Hong Kong, almost all anti-obesity medicines are prescription drugs, and should only be used under close supervision of doctors.

Drug regulation and import and export control

     Currently, injectable medicines registered in Hong Kong for the treatment of obesity include liraglutide, semaglutide and tirzepatide, which are all Part 1 poisons and prescription drugs (i.e. Schedule 3 Poisons) under the the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance (Cap. 138) (the Ordinance). According to the Ordinance, pharmaceutical products must meet the criteria of safety, efficacy and quality and be registered with the Pharmacy and Poisons Board of Hong Kong before they can be sold in the market.
     
     As Part 1 poisons-containing pharmaceutical products and prescription drugs, injectable medicines for the treatment of obesity could only be sold at the registered premises of an authorised seller of poisons (commonly referred as pharmacy) under the supervision of a registered pharmacist upon a doctor’s prescription, and should be used under a doctor’s direction. Any person who illegally sells (through any channel, including the Internet) or possesses unregistered pharmaceutical products, Part 1 poisons, or sells prescription drugs without the authority of a prescription commits an offence and shall be liable, upon conviction, to a maximum penalty of a fine of $100,000 and two-years’ imprisonment. Any person who is not a registered medical practitioner or registered dentist could not perform medicine injection procedures; otherwise, the person may be charged for violating the Medical Registration Ordinance (Cap. 161) or the Dentists Registration Ordinance (Cap. 156).

     Furthermore, import and export of pharmaceutical products are controlled under the Import and Export Ordinance (Cap. 60). Any person who imports or exports pharmaceutical product without relevant licence commits an offence, and shall be liable, upon conviction, to a maximum penalty of a fine of $500,000 and two-years’ imprisonment.

Law enforcement

     In response to the illegal sale of controlled anti-obesity injectable medicines in the market, the Drug Office of the DH has in particular stepped up inspection and enforcement across Hong Kong from January to April 2026, as well as maintained close communication with other law enforcement agencies regarding the suspected cases, the nature of the medicines and relevant regulatory matters:

(a) The Drug Office of the DH conducted six joint enforcement actions with the Hong Kong Police Force or the C&ED, arrested several persons for suspected contravention of drug related legislations which included persons involved in illegal possession or sale of Part 1 poisons and unregistered pharmaceutical products, and seized a total of 47 boxes of anti-obesity injections. The DH will continue to work with relevant enforcement agencies to crack down on such illegal activities.

(b) In response to the illegal import and export of controlled injections and drugs, the C&ED conducted multiple special operations during the same period, detected 15 major smuggling cases and seized over five million suspected pharmaceutical products and approximately 150 000 controlled injections suspected of containing Part 1 poisons (including approximately 130 000 anti-obesity injection vials and approximately 20 000 cosmetic injection vials), with an estimated market value of approximately $220 million.

     The DH has an established mechanism to monitor the sale of medicines in the market (including the Internet) through unannounced inspections, market surveillance and control buy to surveil the sale of medicines including the Internet. If the DH detects any persons suspected of illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products or Part 1 poisons, sale of prescription drugs without the authority of a prescription, and more, it will promptly investigate, and, depending on actual needs, refer the case to other law enforcement agencies such as the Hong Kong Police Force and the C&ED to follow up, or conduct joint operations with them, to crack down unlawful acts.

     Overall speaking, over the past 12 months (from April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026), enforcement actions taken by the Drug Office of the DH and the C&ED regarding the sale of medicines include:

(a) The Drug Office of the DH conducted around 1 189 unannounced inspections against pharmacies in Hong Kong. During the same period, it handled 41 conviction cases involving illegal sale or possession of unregistered pharmaceutical products or Part 1 poisons (including but not limited to the so-called “Anti-obesity injectable” medicines) with two cases involving Internet sellers. Among these 41 cases, the cases with the highest penalties were sentenced to two months’ imprisonment (suspended for three years) or imposed with a $87,000 fine.

(b) During the same period, the DH handled six conviction cases involving illegal sale of prescription drugs by pharmacies. The case with the highest fine imposed was $87,000.

(c) The C&ED received a total of 54 reports involving illegal import and export of injectable medicines (including but not limited to the so-called “Anti-obesity injectable” medicines). The number of cases involving illegal import and export of injectable medicines detected by the C&ED, number of seizures, number of prosecutions, number of persons prosecuted and penalties imposed are tabulated below:
 

  From April 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026
Number of cases detected
(Note 1 and 5)		 45
Number of seizures
(Note 1 and 2)		 Approximately 96 000 nos., 185 000 mL,
and 160 mg respectively
Number of prosecutions (Note 3) 6
Number of persons prosecuted
(Note 3)		 7
Penalties (Note 4) Fine of $20,000 and imprisonment of
two to six months

Note 1: This refers to cases involving illegal import or export of injectable medicines in violation of the Import and Export Ordinance and the Pharmacy and Poisons Ordinance, including drugs commonly known as “Anti-obesity injectable” medicines. The C&ED does not maintain a breakdown of statistics for drugs commonly known as “Anti-obesity injectable” medicines.

Note 2: As the packaging of the seized injectable medicines varies, they cannot be presented in a uniform unit.

Note 3: Cases with prosecutions instituted during the year.

Note 4: Cases with trial concluded during the year.

Note 5: As some cases are under the legal proceedings, the outcomes conviction/sentencing results have not yet been determined.

Publicity and education

     The DH has been providing drug safety information to the public through different channels, urging members of the public not to purchase and use prescription drugs through illegal channels. The DH has also advised the public that the relevant drugs may not be properly stored during transportation (especially for drugs requiring cold-chain storage), which may result in adverse effect to the drug safety and create health risks. The DH has also reminded the public that selling medicines controlled under the Ordinance illegally, regardless of the sales channel (including online sales platforms, instant messaging applications or social media), carries criminal liabilities.

     The DH has prepared safety information for consumers regarding the purchase and use of medicines, including online information of “General Knowledge on the Use of Medicines”, “Be Cautious when Buying Medicines on Internet”, “Health message on overweight problem and slimming products” and “Slimming Products with Undeclared Western Drug Ingredients”, to remind the public to refrain from purchasing or using products of doubtful composition or from dubious sources, with a view to safeguarding public health. 

     At the same time, the Government has always been concerned about the adverse health effects of obesity on members of the public. In March this year, the Government launched Hong Kong’s inaugural Action Plan on Weight Management, adopting a life-course approach and whole-of-society participation as its strategic framework. Through cross-departmental and multi-disciplinary effort, the Government encourages members of the public to adopt healthy lifestyle. To manage weight effectively, members of the public should maintain a balanced diet and engage in appropriate amounts of physical activity. Members of the public should consult a doctor or pharmacist before using any anti-obesity medication, and strictly adhere to the treatment plans prescribed by doctors.

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LCQ11: Strengthening regulatory oversight of employment agencies for foreign domestic helpers

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ11: Strengthening regulatory oversight of employment agencies for foreign domestic helpers 
Question:
 
     It is reported that according to the latest announcement by the Consumer Council (the Council), the Council has received a total of 391 complaints against employment agencies (EAs) for foreign domestic helpers (FDHs) since 2023, including cases where FDHs failed to report for duty as scheduled and instances where their competence did not meet expectations. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
 
(1) of the following information regarding EAs in each of the past three years (set out in a table): 

(i) the number of complaints received against EAs and the year-on-year rates of change (broken down by nature of complaint); and  
President,
 
     The Labour Department (LD) enforces Part XII of the Employment Ordinance (EO), the Employment Agency Regulations and the Code of Practice for Employment Agencies (CoP), and regulates employment agencies (EAs) in Hong Kong through license administration, inspections, complaint investigation and prosecution, so as to protect the rights of job seekers and employers.
 
     The reply to the Member’s question is set out below:

Complaint items(+13.6%)(+12.0%)(-27.9%)(+51.6%)(-0.7%)(+39.3%)(-11.8%)(+1.5%)(-5.2%)(+27.3%)

 (+175%)(-54.5%) 
(2) and (3) EAs are required to operate in accordance with the law and abide by the CoP issued by the LD. The CoP sets out the legislative requirements that EAs must observe and the standards which the Commissioner for Labour expects EAs to meet, such as maintaining transparency in business operations, drawing up written service agreements with job seekers and employers, providing payment receipts, and avoiding involvement in the financial affairs of job seekers, etc. If the licensee of an EA, or a related person of or an individual employed by the licensee fails to comply with the CoP, the LD may refuse to issue or renew a licence, or may revoke the licence of the EA under EO.
 
     To further enhance the professionalism and service quality of EAs, the LD promulgated the revised CoP in May 2024, introducing additional requirements expected of EAs by the Commissioner for Labour, which include that EAs must specify in the written service agreements drawn up with job seekers and employers the scope of services, the fees charged on each service item, payment arrangements, etc, and clearly state whether the EAs will provide a refund or arrangements for replacement of foreign domestic helpers (FDH) in case the EAs’ services are not delivered in full or if the FDHs prematurely terminate the employment contracts. These revisions enhance the transparency of service fees charged by EAs and strengthen the protection of the rights of employers as customers. In the course of revising the CoP, relevant organisations (including the Consumer Council) had been consulted.
 
     The CoP requires EAs, when providing services to job seekers and employers, to exercise due diligence in verifying the information provided by both parties, and ensure that any information provided to both sides is consistent with the facts known to the EAs. When charging service fees to employers, EAs must make sure that the job applicants referred to employers meet the qualifications and other requirements listed by the employers. In addition, EAs should exercise professional judgment in selecting any business partners within and outside Hong Kong, and consider the reliability of information on job seekers provided by their business partner(s) located outside Hong Kong, including but not limited to the job seekers’ academic qualifications, skills, training received, etc.
 
     Job seekers and employers should compare the services and fees offered by different EAs and choose the EAs that suit their needs. They should carefully read and understand relevant terms before signing the service agreements. If unreasonable terms are spotted in the service agreements, they should refuse to sign and, where necessary, seek assistance from the Customs and Excise Department, the Consumer Council or the LD.

(4) To enhance transparency of the past records of EAs, the LD’s Employment Agencies Portal not only uploads information on EAs with valid licences, but also publishes records of EAs that have been convicted of overcharging commissions or unlicensed operation, have had their licences revoked or renewal refused, and have been issued written warnings. This facilitates the public in making informed decisions when engaging EA services, avoiding impairment of their rights.
 
     The LD has also established regular liaison mechanism with the consulates-general of major FDH-sending countries in Hong Kong to strengthen collaboration and exchange of information on unscrupulous EAs with a view to ensuring the rights of employers and FDHs are fully protected. If malpractices by organisations outside Hong Kong in arranging FDHs to take up employment in Hong Kong are identified, the LD will reflect the matter to relevant governments concerned through the liaison mechanism and request appropriate follow-up actions.Issued at HKT 11:35

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Toll waiver for commercial vehicles to take effect from May 17 for two months

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

     The Inter-departmental Task Force on Monitoring Fuel Supply today (May 13) announced that the Government will waive 50 per cent of the toll for all commercial vehicles (including buses, goods vehicles, light buses and taxis as registered under records of the Transport Department (TD)) using all government tolled tunnels and the Tsing Sha Control Area from 0.00am on May 17 (Sunday), excluding private cars and motor cycles/motor tricycles. The temporary measure will last for two months until 11.59pm on July 16 (Thursday). The Government will publish relevant notices in the Gazette on May 15.

     The Task Force said that the targeted temporary measure aims to alleviate the operating costs of various types of commercial vehicles, and assist drivers and operators in coping with the pressure arising from rising fuel prices.

     The TD has steered the toll service provider to adjust the HKeToll system to ensure smooth implementation. Commercial vehicle owners are not required to submit any application; they only need to pay the reduced amount as displayed in the system. The payment methods and time limits designated by existing legislation remain unchanged. In addition, taxi passengers are reminded that they must continue to pay the statutory tolls in full during the waiver period.

     Commercial vehicle drivers can obtain the waiver details via the HKeToll and HKeMobility mobile apps, toll information displays, variable message signs on major trunk roads, tunnel radio break-in messages and letters issued by the TD to the trades concerned. During this period, placards will be displayed in taxi compartments to remind passengers to pay tolls in full.

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London ETO supports Hong Kong artisans at London Craft Week

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

London ETO supports Hong Kong artisans at London Craft Week       
     This exhibition showcases a collection of craft works through a fresh and contemporary lens, bringing together the exquisite craftsmanship of traditional artisans and the innovative ideas of emerging designers, demonstrating the creative synergy generated through cross-generation collaboration.
      
     The Director-General of the London ETO, Miss Fiona Chau, welcomed the opportunity to support Crafts on Peel in showcasing its work once again at London Craft Week. She remarked, “The exhibition offers a compelling fusion of time-honoured traditions and forward-looking innovation, vividly reflecting the creative spirit of Hong Kong.”
      
     The “Creative Cross-Pollination: The Future of Crafts” exhibition is being held at the Royal Society of Sculptors (108 Old Brompton Rd, London SW7 3RA) from May 11 to 17 (London time). 
Issued at HKT 6:05

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HA staff and teams commended for outstanding performance

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

The following is issued on behalf of the Hospital Authority:

     The Hospital Authority (HA) today (May 13) announced the results of the HA Outstanding Staff and Teams Award for 2026. This year, seven outstanding staff, eight outstanding teams and 12 young achievers have been awarded. Five new awards were introduced this year, including Outstanding Award in Patient Service, Outstanding Award in Safety Enhancement, Outstanding Award in Creativity, Outstanding Award in Research, and Outstanding Award in Operation Support, each recognising one group/individual staff member who has demonstrated an exceptional performance in the respective area (the list of awardees is appended).

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LCQ18: Handling nuisance cases involving residents of public rental housing

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

     Following is a question by the Hon Leung Man-kwong and a written reply by the Secretary for Housing, Ms Winnie Ho, in the Legislative Council today (May 13):
 
Question:

     Under the existing policy, residents of public rental housing (PRH) are not permitted to install closed-circuit televisions (CCTVs) outside their flats or in public corridors. Offenders are liable to a warning or point allotment under the Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement. However, it is learnt that quite a number of residents have installed recording devices outside their flats or in public corridors without authorization in order to ensure security or prevent nuisance caused by neighbours. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: 
Reply:
 
President,
 
     Public rental housing (PRH) residents are required to comply with the terms of the tenancy agreement as well as the policies set by the Hong Kong Housing Authority (HA). Otherwise, their tenancy may be terminated. According to the terms of the PRH tenancy agreement, tenants are prohibited from causing any disturbance or nuisance inside or outside the rented flat to other residents. Should a PRH tenant breach the tenancy agreement by causing nuisance to others, the Housing Department (HD) will take tenancy control actions against the offending tenant in accordance with the terms of the PRH tenancy agreement or the Marking Scheme for Estate Management Enforcement in Public Housing Estates (the Marking Scheme). Serious cases will result in termination of the tenancy and recovery of the flat.
 
     In response to the question raised by the Hon Leung Man-kwong, our reply is as follows:

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Government welcomes passage of Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions, Concessionary Deductions and Allowances) Bill 2026

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

Government welcomes passage of Inland Revenue (Amendment) (Tax Concessions, Concessionary Deductions and Allowances) Bill 2026      
     A Government spokesperson said, “The measures include increasing the basic allowance, married person’s allowance, single parent allowance, basic and additional child allowance, basic and additional allowance for dependent parent/grandparent and the deduction ceiling for elderly residential care expenses, as well as extending the claim period for additional child allowance for newborns starting from the year of assessment 2026/27. About 2.09 million taxpayers will benefit, reducing tax revenue by about $5.51 billion per year.
      
     “The measures also include a one-off 100 per cent reduction of salaries tax, tax under personal assessment and profits tax for the year of assessment 2025/26, subject to a ceiling of $3,000 per case. It is expected to benefit about 2.12 million taxpayers and 170 000 businesses, with about 24 per cent of the taxpayers and 18 per cent of the businesses not needing to pay tax for the year of assessment 2025/26. The government revenue will be reduced by about $5.78 billion.”
      
     The above legislation as passed will be gazetted on May 22. The one-off tax concessions, increased allowances and deduction ceilings will be reflected in taxpayers’ final tax payable for the year of assessment 2025/26 and the tax payable for the year of assessment 2026/27 respectively.
Issued at HKT 15:36

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Online auction of vehicle registration marks to be held from May 28 to June 1

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

The Transport Department (TD) today (May 13) said that the next online auction of vehicle registration marks (VRMs) will be held from noon on May 28 (Thursday) to noon on June 1 (Monday) through the auction platform E-Auction (e-auction.td.gov.hk). Interested bidders can participate in the online auction only after they have successfully registered as E-Auction users.
 
     A spokesman for the TD said, “A total of 220 Ordinary VRMs will be available at this online public auction. The list of VRMs (see Annex) has been uploaded to the E-Auction website. Applicants who have paid a $1,000 deposit to reserve an Ordinary VRM for auction should also register as an E-Auction user in advance in order to participate in the online bidding, including placing the first bid at the opening price of $1,000. Otherwise, the VRMs reserved by them may be bid on by other interested bidders at or above the opening price. Auctions for VRMs with ‘HK’ or ‘XX’ as a prefix, special VRMs and personalised VRMs will continue to be carried out through physical auctions by bidding paddles and their announcement arrangements remain unchanged.”
 
     Members of the public participating in the online bidding should take note of the following important points:
 
(1) Bidders should register in advance as an E-Auction user by “iAM Smart+” equipped with the digital signing function; or by using a valid digital certificate and an email address upon completion of identity verification. Registered “iAM Smart” users should provide their Hong Kong identity card number, while non-Hong Kong residents who are not “iAM Smart” users should provide the number of their passport or other identification documents when registering as E-Auction users.
 
(2) Bidders are required to provide a digital signature to confirm the submission and amount of the bid by using “iAM Smart+” or a valid digital certificate at the time of the first bid of each online bidding session (including setting automatic bids before the auction begins) to comply with the requirements of the Electronic Transactions Ordinance.
 
(3) If a bid is made in respect of a VRM within the last 10 minutes before the end of the auction, the auction end time for that particular VRM will be automatically extended by another 10 minutes, up to a maximum of 24 hours.
 
(4) Successful bidders must follow the instructions in the notification email issued by the TD to log in to the E-Auction within 48 hours from the issuance of email and complete the follow-up procedures, including:
 

  • completing the Purchaser Information for the issuance of the Memorandum of Sale of Registration Mark (Memorandum of Sale); and
  • making the auction payment online by credit card, Faster Payment System (FPS) or Payment by Phone Service (PPS). Cheque or cash payment is not accepted in the E-Auction.

(5) A VRM can only be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser. Relevant information on the Certificate of Incorporation must be provided by the successful bidder in the Purchaser Information of the Memorandum of Sale if the VRM purchased is to be registered under the name of a body corporate.
 
(6) Successful bidders will receive a notification email around seven working days after payment has been confirmed and can download the Memorandum of Sale from the E-Auction. The purchaser must apply for the VRM to be assigned to a motor vehicle registered in the name of the purchaser within 12 months from the date of issue of the Memorandum of Sale. If the purchaser fails to do so within the 12-month period, in accordance with the statutory provision, the allocation of the VRM will be cancelled and a new allocation will be arranged by the TD without prior notice to the purchaser.
 
     The TD has informed all applicants who have reserved Ordinary VRMs for this round of auction of the E-Auction arrangements in detail by post. Members of the public may refer to the E-Auction website or watch the tutorial videos for more information. Please call the E-Auction hotline (3583 3980) or email (e-auction-enquiry@td.gov.hk) for enquiries. 

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LCQ5: Developing industrial brand tourism

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region – 4

Following is a question by the Hon Jimmy Ng and a reply by the Acting Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mr Raistlin Lau, in the Legislative Council today (May 13):

Question:

The Government’s Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots announced in May 2025 nine tourism hotspot projects, among which the Hong Kong Industrial Brand Tourism Scheme (the Scheme) aims to showcase to visitors through tour groups formed by the tourism industry Hong Kong’s industrial story and the “Lion Rock spirit” to rise above the odds. Both the public and the industry have expressed concerns about the Scheme’s effectiveness. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) since the launch of the Scheme, how many applications from travel agents have been received; among them, how many visit sessions are involved;

(2) as the Government has previously stated that the implementation agent for the Scheme is currently discussing the details with brands interested in participating in the Scheme, of the relevant details and time of launch; whether the Government will introduce more measures to encourage industrial brands to participate in the Scheme; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that; and

(3) whether the Government will draw on the successful experience of the Green Lifestyle Local Tour Incentive Scheme to launch an “industrial tourism incentive scheme” to provide cash incentives for travel agents based on the number of participants in order to enhance the industry’s incentives to promote such projects; if so, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

The tourism industry in 2026 is showing strong momentum. In the first four months of this year, the number of visitor arrivals to Hong Kong reached approximately 18.5 million, representing a year-on-year increase of about 15 per cent. During the Chinese New Year Golden Week and the Labour Day Golden Week of the Mainland, the number of Mainland visitors to Hong Kong was approximately 1.5 million and 1.01 million respectively, representing increases of 14 per cent and 10 per cent compared to the same periods last year. The results are very encouraging. We expect total visitor arrivals for the whole year to reach 53.8 million, an increase of about 8 per cent over last year.

The travel patterns of visitors have changed significantly after the pandemic. Hong Kong’s tourism industry needs to transform and adapt to better meet the needs of global travellers. The Government has been proactively seizing opportunities and has put forward the “+Tourism” development strategy under the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0 to deeply integrate Hong Kong’s rich cultural heritage, unique urban and natural landscapes, and various large-scale cultural and sports events with tourism, thereby providing visitors with distinctive travel experiences. 

Our consolidated reply to Hon Jimmy Ng’s question is as follows:

The 2024 Policy Address announced the establishment of the Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots (Working Group) to identify and develop popular and attractive tourist hotspots across districts. On May 20, 2025, the Working Group announced the implementation of nine projects, including the launching of the Hong Kong Industrial Brand Tourism Scheme (the Scheme), which seeks to align with the development trend of in-depth travel and to develop “Made in Hong Kong” industrial tourist hotspots that visitors can visit, experience, and make purchases. Under the premise of complying with relevant land lease/tenancy conditions and other regulatory requirements, without affecting the daily production operations, staffing arrangements of the industrial brands, while remaining commercially viable, the Scheme integrates Hong Kong’s industrial brands with tourism to provide visitors with diversified local tourism product options and novel experiences.  

The Scheme has been open for applications from travel agents since November 2025. The pilot phase covers the factories of Lee Kum Kee, Kee Wah Bakery, and Yakult located in the Tai Po Innopark. Through a “group-in, group-out” mode, visitors can tour the factories, participate in product making, purchase souvenirs and cultural and creative products, and take photos with brand mascots to experience the “Made in Hong Kong” unique culture. The Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC) organised a trade familiarisation visit to these factories on November 6, 2025. The travel trade responded very positively and recognised the potential of industrial tourism, especially for student groups, business travellers and visitors seeking unique travel experiences.

The Government has commissioned the TIC as the implementing agent of the Scheme to assist participating brands in planning itineraries and co-ordinating the details of tour group visits. Travel agents may submit applications to the TIC through the booking system to arrange visits for inbound tour groups. At this stage, the visiting hours offered by brands are limited to weekdays. Travel agents will co-ordinate closely with the TIC and the brands, taking into account the tour group’s needs, specific visit dates, and available booking slots offered by factories, to ensure suitable guided tours are arranged without disrupting factory operations.

Since the factories of the participating industrial brands are still engaged in manufacturing activities, the TIC needs to negotiate individually with each brand regarding their capacity, available opening hours (including the possibility of weekend openings) and visit arrangements. For brands, industrial production remains their core business, and they need to ensure that they can receive visitors without affecting their production processes. Since “Industry+Tourism” helps enhance brand value and awareness, and the number of visitors that can be accommodated depends primarily on the brand’s reception capacity, as well as constraints such as factory space and opening hours, we do not consider that providing financial incentives would effectively benefit more visitors.

The Green Lifestyle Local Tour Incentive Scheme was a special support measure introduced by the Government during the pandemic to support the hard-hit tourism industry. With the tourism sector currently experiencing a strong recovery and industrial brands themselves being highly appealing, though each has its own limitations in terms of capacity, we believe resources should be concentrated on providing appropriate administrative and co-ordination support to the participating industrial brands and travel agents, such as establishing a booking system and assisting with itinerary planning, thereby enhancing the industry’s incentive to promote the project and ensuring the quality of visits.

The Tourism Commission is actively preparing for the next phase of the Scheme and has made initial contact with around 10 industrial brands that have expressed interest in joining. The aim is to include more industrial brands into the Scheme, subject to compliance with land lease/tenancy conditions and other regulatory requirements, and to continuously optimise and enhance the Scheme’s content to ensure its steady development. Depending on the preparation progress of each industrial brand, we will make announcements as appropriate.

The Scheme has successfully highlighted the unique “Made in Hong Kong” travel experience. We are pleased to see more and more Hong Kong industrial brands participating in the Scheme and launching their own exhibitions, displays and souvenirs related to their brand history and products, thereby introducing the “Made in Hong Kong” culture to locals and visitors. The Government will continue to support and promote the development of industrial tourism, offering visitors more “Only in Hong Kong” unique travel experiences.