Hong Kong on Wednesday brought back the three percent accommodation tax which had been suspended since July 2008.

While some tourists called the tax rate acceptable, others were unhappy that the extra charge wasn't clearly stipulated on booking websites.

At a hotel in Wan Chai, a mainland tourist who's checking in said he finds the tax rate acceptable.

"It's fine, I respect your system here. The platform shows the tax added to the price and reminds you. For overseas consumption, we always pay tax in advance," he said.

But another tourist told RTHK that the tax wasn't clearly indicated on some online booking platforms.

"I think the platforms should show the tax amount in brackets, or show the prices with and without tax, then consumers would know," he said.

The executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association, Timothy Chui, said the key is to make the tax collection process as straightforward as possible.

"The government hasn't specified how to collect it. Some hotels want to save costs, so they collect at the front desk. We need to decide whether to make it more complex by collecting at the front desk or collect it all through online travel agents," he said.

Chui also hopes the government will consider lowering the tax rate when public finances improve.