COMMENTS BY VISITING U.K. CONVENTION
ORGANISERS GROUP
This group commented on the prevalence of
conversion tables for US dollars in tourist literature and
the appearance of goods marked in US dollars in Hong Kong's
shops whereas there was no mention of the Pound Sterling.
The criticism was quite valid although the relat-
ive importance of the number of U.K. tourists compared with
U.S. visitors and the common usage of US dollar travellers
cheques was pointed out. This started a general discussion
on Hong Kong's development and the massive local investments
by Overseas Chinese, American and Japanese concerns as
compared with their British counterparts.
At this point a number of comments were made by
the visiting delegates which can be summerized as follows:
A. They were not aware of any significant favourable
Ba
D.
E.
F.
publicity for Hong Kong in the U.K.
Hong Kong still has a third rate image there.
In particular it is still considered to be a 'Colonial'
Territory with the associated ideas of remoteness,
backwardness and instability due to unwarrented British
control.
It is still a place producing shoddy goods for the
lowest prices; textile goods that are not expected to
survive more than one or two washes and tin toys of a
cheap and nasty typo.
There is no knowledge of investment possibilities.
There is no knowledge of the activities of other
nationalities in the investment field. Delegates were
genuinely astonished to find massive industries, a
modern sky scraper city and all the latest commercial
developments comparable with any Western Nation.
1-2-
Page 60Page 61