The Travel Industry Authority (TIA) has appointed the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC) as the examination body for the ‘Licensing Examination of Tourist Guides’. The servicing period will be effective from now to 31st October 2024.
Licensing Criteria
Those applying for a tourist guide licence must meet the following requirements:
1. having reached the age of 18 years;
2. having completed Hong Kong;s Form 5 education under the 5-year secondary academic structure of Senior Secondary 3 education under the New Senior Secondary academic structure (or equivalent education whether obtain in or outside Hong Kong);
3. having passed, within the two years prior to making the application, the licensing examination specified by Travel Industry Authority (TIA);
4. having completed the pre-examination training course specified by TIA;
5. holding a valid certificate of competency in first aid, or another similar certificate, issued by an institution specified by TIA; and
6. meeting other requirements set out in the Travel Industry Ordinance.
Applicants for tourist guide licence must provide the original document, for inspection by TIA, for the relevant educational attainment, completion of training course and first aid qualification. When submitting a licence application, please note that the examination result and first aid qualification are subject to limited validity. An expired result or qualification will not be accepted as meeting the relevant requirements.
If you have question regarding the above requirements, including whether you have fulfilled the educational requirement, please email to lic@tia.org.hk or call (852) 3698 5900.
Remarks: Please refer to the Travel Industry Authoriy's (TIA) website for the application requirements and related details of Tourist Guide Licences.
*Special measures to assist former pass holders or licensees to obtain tourist guide licence and tour escort licence.
Enquiry may be made to the hotline at (852) 3698 5900 or enquiry@tia.org.hk.
All member travel agents of the TIC which hold a valid travel agent’s licence under the Travel Industry Ordinance are eligible to apply for subsidy, and may nominate their own staff members (including their employees and self-employed persons) to take part in eligible training activities in order to receive subsidy.
Tour Escorts holding a valid licence issued by the Travel Industry Authority may also take part in eligible training activities in order to receive subsidy.
Successful applicant 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 HK$500. The subsidy ceiling for each travel agent is HK$30,000 per year. The year of subsidy is to commence from 1 January of each year until 31 December of the same year.
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Training Subsidy Scheme for Practitioners of the Travel Trade (for Individual application)
TIA has launched a training subsidy scheme for practitioners of the travel industry with a view to enhancing the professional standards and service quality of the industry. Under the scheme, each eligible person may be granted, on a reimbursement basis, a subsidy of up to $2,000 for the following: registration fees for licensing examination of tourist guides and tour escorts, course fees for activities under the continuing professional development (CPD) schemes, and course fees for obtaining a certificate of competency in first-aid or another similar certificate.
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Cantonese / Putonghua
English assessment will be arranged individually. Please email to the TIC Training Department ( training@tichk.org )and state in the subject “Application for English Licensing Examination of Tour Guides" for further arrangement.
Examination Certificate will be issued for candidates who pass the Paper I Written Examination and Paper II Road Examination of the Licensing Examination of Tourist Guides specified by Travel Industry Authority.
Candidates have doubts about the examination results may request for a review.
Please contact Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong for details.
VIII. Appeal System
The appeal system has been in place since 2007. Candidates who are dissatisfied with their examination results may request for an appeal.
Please contact Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong for details.
For enquiries or suggestions, please contact the staff of the Council’s Industry Training Department by email.