Hong Kong hotels and guest houses are required to provide fire escape hoods to ensure customer safety, with authorities rolling out a grace period for the sector, the city’s home affairs minister has said.
Secretary for Home and Youth Affairs Alice Mak Mei-kuen also said on Saturday that the government would discuss implementation arrangements with the sector soon, after some representatives flagged that they had not been consulted before the requirement was introduced.
“We have heard different comments from the hotel and guest house sector … I am certain that the sector, the public and the government hope to enhance the fire safety of the premises and safeguard tourists’ safety,” she said.
“As we enhance fire safety, we also have to consider how we are implementing the measure so that the sector can comply with it more easily.
“We will later hold a meeting with the sector to discuss the implementation arrangement and look into how the sector can balance their business operations while – most importantly – ensuring the safety of tourists.”
Mak’s remarks on Saturday came a day after Edward Leung Hei, chairman of the Hong Kong Feast and Retreat Association, posted the Home Affairs Department’s letter online.