Gov’t proposes to regulate photography services at tourist hotspots

[Photo: Meliisandre Denize]

The government has proposed introducing a registration system for commercial photography services at tourist hotspots, under a wider package of administrative reforms currently under public consultation.

One of the proposals unveiled by the interdepartmental group led by the Legal Affairs Bureau (DSAJ) and the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) is that the government proposes to treat the matter as an activity requiring registration.

As explained by DSAJ acting director Ng Chi Kin, these new rules not only aim to start regulating an activity that, until now, had no regulations or administrative conditions, but also clarify that only local residents or locally registered companies can apply for this registration, thereby making this activity illegal when performed by non-residents or tourists.

On the topic, when questioned by the media, Ng said, “As it stands, there are no regulations in place.

Without regulations, even non-Macau residents can participate in this kind of activity with absolute freedom. Furthermore, having multiple local applicants is the only way to detect issues such as border violations or illegal entry; these problems have underlying causes. Secondly, public parks are another area we need to consider. As these attractions are typically high-traffic areas, I believe that in places with low foot traffic and few tourists, such a need [for photography services] does not exist.”

Justifying the need to implement quotas for the number of people that can register to offer such a service, Ng added, “These locations already experience such high volumes of visitors; if we do not implement quota-based registration controls, this means anyone can participate at any time without any limits on numbers. We fear it could disrupt order in those areas, and there are safety concerns as well.”

The official noted that what is at stake is not regulating technical requirements or skills, but rather an effort to maintain order in these areas.

He remarked that the number of quotas is not fixed and will be within IAM’s competence to assess a reasonable number for each tourist attraction on a case-by-case basis.

He noted that this is particularly important during festive periods such as the Lunar New Year or National Day, when visitor numbers are high, and that IAM’s decision is to be grounded based on the number of visitors at that time.

On the topic, Chao Wai Ieng, president of IAM, added that this type of service is common in many cities, including Hong Kong, noting that demand for it already exists.

“Historically, under our current legal framework, implementing such measures might conflict with existing laws governing street vendor operations. Therefore, we hope that during this consultation period we gather opinions that help to establish a framework to address and follow up on these situations,” Chao said, adding, “We hope that through this consultation process, we can eventually formulate specific, enforceable guidelines so that local residents can proceed with registration in accordance with these guidelines. I believe that after we conclude this consultation, we will issue a detailed report.”