Support for SMEs

To enhance the overall competitiveness of the local travel industry through subsidising the training and promotional activities beneficial to travel agents.

Development Fund for the Travel Industry subsidises "Training Activities" and "Promotional Activities" that are beneficial to travel agents.

Training Activities

• Funding Scope

Training activities eligible for subsidy under the Development Fund must (i) be related to the travel industry; and (ii) meet the objective of the Development Fund (Training Activities).

There are two categories of eligible training activities, which must be held in Hong Kong: (i) courses and examinations; and (ii) seminars, workshops, talks, etc. No training activities held entirely outside Hong Kong or entirely online are eligible. 

• Funding Amount

Each travel agent/accredited tour escort/accredited tourist guide will be subsidised with a maximum of 70% of the fee of a training activity if its application is successful provided that the fee of the training activity per person is not less than HKD500.

The subsidy ceiling for each travel agent is HKD30,000 per year. The subsidy ceiling for each accredited tour escort/accredited tourist guide is HKD5,000. The year of subsidy is to commence from 1 January of each year until 31 December of the same year.

Promotional Activities

• Funding Scope

Promotional activities eligible for subsidy under the Development Fund must (i) be related to the outbound and the inbound industries; and (ii) meet the objective of the Development Fund (Promotional Activities).

Eligible promotional activities must be open to all member travel agents of the Travel Industry Council (TIC) which hold a valid travel agent’s licence under the Travel Agents Ordinance. Any activities aimed at promoting the business of individual travel agents are ineligible.

• Funding Amount and Duration

For Official Tourist Organisations, a maximum of 50% of its approved cost or HKD300,000, whichever is lower. Each eligible organisation is subject to a subsidy ceiling of HKD600,000 per year based on the actual completion date of the approved promotional activity.

For Association Members of the TIC, a maximum of 50% of its approved cost or HKD150,000, whichever is lower. Each eligible organisation is subject to a subsidy ceiling of HKD300,000 per year based on the actual completion date of the approved promotional activity.

Approved promotional activities must be completed by grantee organisations within six months from the date of signing of a funding agreement between the grantee organisations and the TIC.

Training Activities

• Eligible Travel Agents

All member travel agents of the TIC which have obtained and hold a valid travel agent’s licence under the Travel Agents Ordinance are eligible to apply for the subsidy.The applicant travel agent must nominate its own staff members (including its employees and self-employed persons) for the subsidy.

• Eligible Accredited Tour Escorts/Accredited Tourist Guides
• Individual grantee travel agents/accredited tour escorts/accredited tourist guides must hold a valid travel agent’s licence/Tourist Escort Pass/Tourist Guide Pass at the time of disbursement of the corresponding subsidies by the secretariat on behalf of the Airport Authority.

Promotional Activities

Eligible applicant organisations mean the following organisations or those fall into the following categories:

• The Hong Kong Tourism Board;
• The Asia Tourism Exchange Center (as representative of official tourism organisations in mainland China);
• the offices or representatives of overseas official tourism organisations or official tourism organisations of other places which or who are based in Hong Kong; 
• the offices or representatives of overseas official tourism organisations or official tourism organisations of other places whose target of promotion is the Hong Kong market; and
• the eight Association Members of the TIC, comprising Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents (HATA), The Federation of Hong Kong Chinese Travel Agents (FHCTA), International Chinese Tourist Association (ICTA), Society of IATA Passenger Agents (SIPA), Hongkong Taiwan Tourist Operators Association (TTOA), Hong Kong Association of China Travel Organisers (HACTO), Hong Kong Outbound Tour Operators’ Association (OTOA), and Hongkong Japanese Tour Operators Association (HJTOA).

Training Activities

• "Training Activities" is open for application all year round.
• Applicants shall submit the duly completed and signed application form to the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong at "Rooms 1706-09, Fortress Tower, 250 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong" by post, with the envelope marked "Application for the Development Fund for the Travel Industry (Training Activities)" before signing up for the training activity concerned.
• Applicants can also send a soft copy of the completed application form (in Microsoft Word format) to the Secretariat by email (Dfund@tichk.org).

Promotional Activities

• "Promotional Activities" is open for application all year round.
• Applicants shall submit the duly completed and signed application form with supporting documents to the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong at "Rooms 1706-09, Fortress Tower, 250 King’s Road, North Point, Hong Kong" by post, with the envelope marked "Application for the Development Fund for the Travel Industry (Promotional Activities)" before organising the promotional activity concerned.
• Applicants can also send a soft copy of the completed application form (in Microsoft Word format) with supporting documents to the Secretariat by email (Dfund@tichk.org).