Cheung Chau Trade Welcomes Guesthouse Rule Easing
SingTao · 1 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
Ahead of the Policy Address due on September 16, reports say the government plans to ease guesthouse licensing rules for outlying islands by waiving consideration of deed-of-mutual-covenant restrictions when processing applications for buildings of three storeys or below.
Cheung Chau holiday-home operators and local merchants have welcomed the reported move, saying it could help attract more overnight visitors and support the island’s economy.
At the same time, industry participants say compliance costs remain heavy, especially for structural safety certification and fire-services upgrades, and they want targeted financial support for smaller operators.
The discussion comes as Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu is set to deliver his final Policy Address of the current term and unveil Hong Kong’s first five-year plan.
Key Points
- Sing Tao reported on September 14 that the new Policy Address would be delivered on September 16, two days later.
- The reported proposal would exempt deed-of-mutual-covenant restrictions in guesthouse licence applications for outlying-island buildings of three storeys or below.
- A Cheung Chau operator, Ms Ko of B&B Cheung Chau, said she owns 36 holiday-home units and holds nine guesthouse licences.
- Ms Ko said some peers had been unable to renew licences because of deed restrictions, and she welcomed the planned relaxation.
- She said operators face high costs for structural engineer inspections, fire-safety alterations and legally required escape equipment such as smoke hoods.
Why It Matters
If implemented, the change could lower one regulatory barrier for legal holiday-home operations on islands where low-rise private buildings are common, potentially increasing overnight tourism capacity.
Whether the policy delivers wider benefits may depend on whether the government also helps smaller operators absorb compliance costs without weakening public-safety standards.