CPD Scheme for Tour Escorts

Licensed tourist escorts applying for the renewal of their licences must have completed the Continuing Professional Development Scheme for Tour Escorts (TE CPD Scheme) specified by TIA. However, holders of a pre-existing tour escort pass (issued by the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong) taken to be licensed tour escorts applying for the renewal of their licences for the first time are exempted from the requirement.

Activities under the TE CPD Scheme fall into the following three categories:

   A -- Competencies enhancement training for tour escorts (TEA);

   B -- Professional Ethics (TEB); and

   C -- Self-selected Activities (TEC) (6 hours).

For self-selected activities under Category C, licensed tour escorts are advised to participate only in activities recognised by TIA. If licensed tour escorts would like to participate in activities which have not been recognised by TIA, they must make an application to have the activities recognized before participating in the activities and:

• wait until they receive approval in writing before participating in the activity; or
• participate in the activity without waiting for approval and, within three months after completing the activity, provide TIA with further information and/or documents to complete the application for recognition (subject to risk of refusal of the application if the activity does not comply with the criteria).

It usually takes four weeks to have an application processed. An application for recognition will only be approved if the activity in question complies with the criteria set out in the application guidelines.

The TE CPD Scheme requirement is only considered complied with if all activities are completed within the validity period of the tour escort licence (CPD period). In other words, completion of activities after the licence has already expired will not be accepted. In addition, any activity completed for more than once in the same CPD period will only be accepted once for the purpose of the Scheme requirement.

Arrangement for those holding both a tour escort licence and a tourist guide licence

Those applying for the renewal of their tourist guide licences must have completed the Continuing Professional Development Scheme for Tourist Guides (TG CPD Scheme) specified by TIA. Certain activities may be recognized under both the TE CPD Scheme and TG CPD Scheme. If those holding both types of licences have completed such activities, the completed activity hours may be reckoned in the relevant CPD periods of both the TE CPD and TG CPD Schemes.

Other related information

TIA will, on a reimbursement basis, provide a subsidy of up to $2,000 to each eligible person from 1 October 2022 to 30 September 2025 for relevant licensing-related training items (fees for recognized activities under the TE CPD and TG CPD Schemes included). More details are set out in the subsidy page.

Training institutions interested in offering activities under the TE CPD Scheme may contact TIA (pd@tia.org.hk) for details.