Ballot to allocate quotas for allowing dogs to enter permitted food premises on June 12
The Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) announced today (June 9) that a ballot will be conducted this Friday (June 12) to allocate quotas for applications for allowing dogs to enter permitted food premises.
A spokesman for the FEHD said, "The FEHD accepted applications from restaurants for allowing dogs to enter their premises between May 18 and June 8, receiving a total of 2 205 applications. To implement the new measure in a prudent and orderly manner, a quota of not more than 1 000 restaurants is set for the first phase of application. After striking out duplicated, self-withdrawn, and known-to-be ineligible applications (including those without valid restaurant licence and those operating mainly as hotpot/barbecue restaurants), the department will conduct a ballot to allocate the quotas among the remaining 1 615 valid applications."
The ballot will be conducted at 10am on June 12 at the Assembly Hall, 2/F, Lai Chi Kok Government Offices, 19 Lai Wan Road, Lai Chi Kok, Kowloon. The Chairman of Panel on Food Safety and Environmental Hygiene of the Legislative Council, Ms Chan Hoi-yan, will officiate the ballot as the guest of honour. The balloting process will be live-streamed via the FEHD's Facebook page, and both the process and results will be uploaded to the FEHD's dedicated webpage (www.fehd.gov.hk/english/licensing/dog_restaurants/index.html) on the same day. The FEHD will reserve 100 seats for members of the public. Those interested in attending must register in advance by calling 2867 5912 or 2867 2836 on or before June 12 from 9am to 5pm. Seats will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
Applicants will be notified of the ballot results via SMS. Furthermore, the FEHD will deploy dedicated officers to visit successful food premises on June 16 and 17 to deliver Approval Letters and brief their operators on the statutory requirements, licence conditions and other compliance arrangements. Successful applicants must bring along the Approval Letter and existing original copy of the restaurant licence to any Licence Issuing Offices (Hong Kong and Islands, Kowloon and the New Territories) as listed in the Approval Letter, and pay a fee of $140, on or before June 24, to amend their licences to include the permission. If applicants fail to complete the procedures within the specific period, or withdraw the qualifications for other reasons, the FEHD will arrange other applicants to fill the vacancies according to the sequential order from the ballot result. The FEHD will specify a date in July from which dogs will be allowed to enter permitted food premises. The exact date will be announced in due course.
Source: AI-found images
Speech by SCST at 2026 Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum opening dinner
Following is the speech by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Miss Rosanna Law, at the 2026 Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum opening dinner today (June 9):
(Chairman of the ChinaTourism Group, Mr Wang Haimin), (Chairman of the World Tourism Alliance, Mr Zhang Xu), (Director-General of the China Center of International Cultural Exchange and Tourism Promotion under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism of the People's Republic of China, Mr Zhang Weiguo), (Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Dr Peter Lam), distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,
Good evening! First and foremost, I wish to express my sincere gratitude to the China Travel Service (CTS) Group for organising the 2026 Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum. This forum offers a valuable platform for tourism industry peers from around the world to exchange insights and come together in Hong Kong to explore new opportunities for the future of our sector.
Hong Kong's tourism industry is on a steady rise. Last year, we welcomed nearly 50 million visitor arrivals – an increase of over 10 per cent over 2024. Both the Chinese Mainland and overseas markets delivered truly encouraging performance. Looking ahead, we project total visitor arrivals for the full year of 2026 to reach 53.8 million, representing an 8 per cent year-on-year increase. According to preliminary figures, in the first five months of this year alone, we welcomed approximately 23 million visitor arrivals – putting us firmly on track to meet our annual forecast.
These remarkable achievements are the result of the concerted efforts and continuous improvement of the entire tourism ecosystem - from frontline service personnel to behind-the-scenes management teams, and from hotels, dining, and attractions to transportation, retail, and culture, sports and mega events. The Hong Kong Tourism Board, the CTS Group, and all our sector friends have played an instrumental role. To every one of you, I extend my heartfelt gratitude for your hard and excellent work.
Global travel trends are evolving rapidly. Travelers today are no longer satisfied with surface-level tourism, they seek more diverse and in-depth experiences. Cities around the world are rolling out innovative strategies to attract visitors. Hong Kong must keep pace with the times - and go further. We need to create more unique, "Only in Hong Kong" products and experiences that make visitors delighted to stay, reluctant to leave, and eager to return.
Earlier today, the Chief Executive announced the launch of the public consultation of Hong Kong's first five-year plan. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau will actively listen to stakeholders' views on the development of our tourism industry. This year's Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum provides an excellent platform for exactly that exchange - enabling industry professionals from different sectors to discuss strategies and offer insightful recommendations for the future of tourism.
Ladies and gentlemen, Hong Kong is a city full of energy, vibrancy and possibilities. We have a unique East-meets-West cultural heritage, world-class infrastructure and service standards, and a community of passionate, forward-looking professionals - including all of you here today. I firmly believe that as long as we continue to work hand in hand, Hong Kong's tourism industry will reach new heights of success.
Thank you.
