Licensed travel agents are required to undertake strict compliance with certain anti-epidemic measures in order to arrange for inbound tour group travellers holding the Amber Code to enter specific catering premises to have meals.

The specific arrangements for inbound tour groups was implemented today.

Under the specific arrangements, licensed travel agents are required to submit applications to the Travel Industry Council (TIC) in advance in order to arrange for inbound tour group travellers holding the Amber Code to enter specific catering premises to have meals according to their itineraries.

Additional anti-epidemic measures mainly include registering information such as the tour group itineraries, the licensed tourist guides accompanying the tour groups, and the hotels or guesthouses and catering premises receiving them, with the TIC.

Licensed travel agents also have to require working staff to undergo extra COVID-19 nucleic acid tests before and after receiving the inbound tour groups.

Accommodation for travellers must be in a licensed hotel or guesthouse on the List of hotels and guesthouses which accept guests infected with COVID-19 for in-situ isolation.

Under the registered itineraries, catering premises receiving the inbound tour group travellers are required to submit an undertaking to the TIC through the licensed travel agents, and comply with applicable anti-epidemic measures.

The concerned catering premises have to arrange private rooms, enclosed venues with full partitions or entire outside seating accommodation for travellers of inbound tour groups, and adopt additional infection control measures such as thorough disinfection of the rooms and venues after use by travellers for meals before receiving other customers.

The working staff accompanying the tour groups, staff members of the catering premises and other customers are not allowed to have meals at the same time in that area.

All staff members involved in serving the inbound tour group travellers have to undergo extra COVID-19 nucleic acid tests.

Live performances are not allowed in the same area when having meals.

Other requirements including co-operating with the TIC and the Travel Industry Authority on their inspection in respect of the venue conditions and arrangements for receiving inbound tour groups.

Additionally, starting tomorrow, for travellers of tour groups from overseas places or Taiwan that have submitted applications and registered their itineraries with the TIC, they are only required to undergo one COVID-19 nucleic acid test on the day of arrival if they are only staying in Hong Kong for a period of no more than four days.

However, they are still required to undergo daily COVID-19 rapid antigen tests during their visit.