Some 1,350 travel agents have received payment through the Anti-epidemic Fund's Travel Agents Subsidy Scheme to help them tide over the financial difficulties arising from the COVID-19 outbreak.

Under the scheme, each eligible travel agent may receive a one-off subsidy of $80,000.

The Travel Agents Registry has received 1,700 registrations, accounting for 98% of all licensed travel agents in Hong Kong. Among these registrations, 80%, i.e. 1,350 travel agents, have received the payment.

The Commerce & Economic Development Bureau said the scheme has been open for registration since the fund's approval by the Legislative Council Finance Committee on February 21.

With a simple and convenient registration procedure, the disbursement of subsidies had begun within two weeks, providing timely assistance to tide the tourism trade over during this difficult time, it said.

The bureau appealed to the few remaining travel agents who have not yet registered to submit their registration before the deadline today.

The registration form and guidelines can be downloaded online or obtained from the Travel Agents Registry's office at Room 4901, 49/F, Hopewell Centre, Wan Chai.

For the Licensed Guesthouses Subsidy Scheme under the fund, as at noon today more than 1,770 registrations have been received since resigtration commenced on February 21.

Registered licensed guesthouses account for 98% of the total and so far, 260 guesthouses have received the subsidy.

Under the scheme, each eligible guesthouse may receive a one-off subsidy of either $50,000 or $80,000, depending on the number of their licensed guestrooms.

Registration will end on March 20.

The registration form and guidelines can be downloaded online or obtained from the Office of the Licensing Authority at 10th Floor, 14 Taikoo Wan Road, Taikoo Shing.