Hong Kong – Government implements measures with immediate effect to curb scalping of designated quarantine hotels guest rooms

     The Government announced today (June 24) the immediate implementation of measures to curb scalping of guest rooms of designated quarantine hotels (DQHs) and the inclusion of three more DQH hotels under the eighth cycle of the DQH Scheme to increase the room supply.

 

     The Government has all along been monitoring closely the operation of the DQH Scheme and noticed the scalping of guest rooms in DQHs in recent days. Having discussed with the hotel industry, the following measures are implemented with immediate effect to prevent the scalping of hotel rooms-

 

1. DQHs should require their partner travel agents not to block book the guest rooms without booking details of guests. Travel agents must provide relevant information of the guests to the hotels with full payment settled at the time they reserve the rooms;
2. Hotels should ensure that all room bookings must be made under a real name and full payment must be settled in advance. At the same time, DQHs should develop a set of fair and transparent refund policy; and
3. Hotels should ask the travel agents to itemise the fees charged on the receipt, and ensure that the hotel room rate is the same as the published rate listed on the Government website.

 

     A Government spokesman said, “The Government implements the DQH Scheme with a view to preventing the importation of COVID-19 cases. The Scheme is an effective measure in Hong Kong’s anti-epidemic strategies to contain virus spread. We have reiterated to all DQHs that the Government will not tolerate any kind of scalping activities.

 

     “We will continue to monitor the situation closely and will take appropriate follow-up action if non-compliance cases are found.”

 

     Following the announcement of the list of the first batch of DQHs for the eighth cycle of the DQH Scheme on June 16, the Government announced today a list of three more hotels, including Bay Bridge Lifestyle Retreat in Tsuen Wan, Mira Moon Hotel in Wan Chai and Prince Hotel, Hong Kong in Yau Tsim Mong District. These three hotels join upon assessment as DQHs under the Scheme and will start accepting room bookings from tomorrow (June 25) onwards. A total of some 900 additional rooms will be provided.

 

     The eighth cycle of DQH Scheme will run from August 1 to October 31. The Government is conducting assessments on other hotels’ applications. Further announcements will be made when relevant work is completed.

 

     Coupling with the hotels announced today, there are altogether 65 DQHs under the eighth cycle of DQH Scheme, providing around 24 000 rooms.