Staff to be instructed not to photocopy passports of customers checking in Hotel staff should not photocopy customers' passports when checking them in or use their personal data for unsolicited marketing, industry professionals will be taught over the next three months. Privacy Commissioner Roderick Woo Bun yesterday launched a hotel privacy campaign with the Hong Kong Hotels Association in a bid to train workers in handling the large amount of personal data to which they have access. While annoying telemarketers calling several times a day offering VIP memberships are not the immediate targets of the drive, Mr Woo said the issue would also be covered as an 'ancillary point'. '[Hotels] should only use data for the purpose for which they were collected,' he said. 'But this is an ancillary point as this kind of marketing transcends the hotel industry.' Mr Woo said the campaign, which will include training sessions, display panels, games, a quiz and a competition, was not the result of excessive complaints against the industry but rather an attempt to 'fortify data protection and provide staff with practical guidance'. 'This is the first time we have identified one profession, one industry to work with ... We recognise it is very important to reach out to any sectors of the community dealing with sensitive personal data,' he said, adding the commission would reach out to other sectors as well, Mr Woo said. Representatives of almost 50 hotels were at yesterday's launch, he added. 'Customer service is at the heart of the hotel business and ensuring customer data is adequately protected is critical to maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty,' he said. Staff will be taught how to deal with sensitive material such as passports, identity cards and credit cards, and guests' other personal information. If such data fell into the wrong hands, it could be used for identity theft. Making copies of such important documents is not necessary for operational reasons, the commissioner said. Shirley Lung Suet-ying, corporate communications manager for the commission, said many sales staff did not know they were required to offer an opt-out option to people they call to offer hotel membership cards. 'These are the basic rights of the consumer, but a lot of them do not know this,' she said. Meanwhile, Mr Woo said the report into the leak of complainants' personal data by the Independent Police Complaints Council is due out shortly. Mr Woo said he was studying the final draft of the report into the leak, which resulted in the names, addresses and ID card numbers of 20,000 complainants being made available on the internet. Asked about the covert surveillance bill being discussed in the Legislative Council, Mr Woo said he had made his views clear on issues, including calling for a notification system for wrongful targets of such investigations. He said the work of the new commissioner on interception of communication and surveillance should not overlap with the commission's mandate.