HK expecting tourism boom

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 ◆ HK expecting tourism boom

The number of mainland travel agencies organizing tours to the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR) will rise to 67 from the current four as a quota system has been abolished to encourage a surge in tourists to Hong Kong.

The China National Tourism Administration will publish a list of the authorized 67 as well as one indicating the Hong Kong tourist agencies approved by the related Hong Kong authority to be involved in these operations.

The move would bring about an influx of HK$1.5 billion (US$192.3 million) in additional tourism revenue for Hong Kong.

The past year saw robust growth, too. The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) said it expected 2001 to be a record.

The number of visitor arrivals from the mainland reached 3.99 million for the first 11 months of 2001, accounting for 32.1 per cent of Hong Kong's total arrivals of 12.4 million, the local tourism board reported.

HKTB Executive Director Clara Chong said the growth in mainland visitors during the second half of 2001 "exceeded all expectations."

Visa relaxation measures announced late last year and other measures will bring about even stronger growth this year.

To tap the potential market, HKTB has been actively extending links with its mainland counterparts, and mapped out plans for the long-term tourism development.

HKTB has signed agreements with the southwestern province of Sichuan, northwestern Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region and Beijing to enhance information exchanges and personnel training.

Tour prices are expected to fall, making the SAR more affordable to less affluent mainlanders, said Sun Jiangang, director and general manager of China Travel Service (Hong Kong and Macao Tour) Management Hong Kong.

Sun said his company will slash prices up to 30 per cent from the current cost of a five-day tour package.

Hong Kong's Disneyland, expected to be opened by 2005, will boost the mainland tourist numbers even more.

Related information on authorized travel agencies can be found on the website of the administration at www.cnta.gov.cn.(China Daily)