The government has been urged to roll out a reservation system for all popular ecotourism spots as part of its approach to offer high-quality ecotourism in Hong Kong.

The call made by lawmaker Perry Yiu on Monday came after his office and the New Youth Forum found that a majority of the about 650 residents they polled last month agreed the city’s countryside resources are worth developing into high-quality ecotourism spots for tourists.

About 76 percent of them believed that a booking system is necessary,

Yiu noted the government could refer to the real-name reservation trial scheme that was rolled out recently for the Po Pin Chau trail in Sai Kung East Country Park and adopt similar crowd management procedures in developing ecotourism.

“We hope that once this pilot scheme ends, a comprehensive review will be carried out as soon as possible," he said.

"The government should, together with relevant stakeholders and the tourism sector, look into how to further enhance the system, and at the same time, make it more convenient for residents and travellers.”

He also suggested the government set up an interdepartmental ecotourism coordination team to simplify the application for necessary permits.

In addition, authorities should study the possibility of setting up a certification scheme for travel agencies and tour guides with professional ecological knowledge.

Tommy Tam, chairman of the Travel Industry Council, said only those who are accredited be tasked with guiding tours at some ecological hotspots.

The Travel Industry Authority should also carry out checks on social media platforms to combat tours organised by unlicensed groups to better protect travellers, he added.





Edited by Tony Sabine