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INDUSTRY AND TRADE
Britain and other Commonwealth countries. Of the remainder, most came from the countries of south-east Asia.
To meet the needs of tourists, Hong Kong and foreign business- men have invested in new hotels, air-conditioned sight-seeing cars and buses, guide services and many other facilities. In hotel con- struction, particularly, Hong Kong has established a record prob- ably unequalled by any other place in the world. In 1959 the Colony had only 2,300 hotel rooms suitable for tourists. Today there are 3,336 and by the end of 1963 the number will have risen to over 6,000. This represents an increase of 200 per cent in four
years.
Two additions made during the year to the travel facilities of Hong Kong were a new terminal at Kai-Tak Airport and a sea terminal at Navy Street, Kowloon. Facilities available at the City Hall opened in March, plus the new hotels, have raised the possibility of Hong Kong serving as a venue for large-scale inter- national meetings and conventions. In January the eleventh annual conference of the Pacific Area Travel Association was held, attended by 500 delegates and wives. Later in the year the Seven- teenth World Congress of the Junior Chamber of Commerce International was held, attended by over 1,200 delegates from all parts of the world.
The Hong Kong Tourist Association was founded by Govern- ment ordinance in 1957 and began work in 1958 following the arrival of its Executive Director, Major H. F. Stanley. In 1962 the Association's membership grew by 25 per cent and overseas callers at headquarters increased by 29 per cent. Under the chairmanship of Mr W. C. G. Knowles, the Association is governed by a Board of Management composed of 11 members appointed by the Governor. It annually receives a subvention from Government which, for the financial year 1962-3, amounts to $2,649,000.
The Association produces a large number of posters, folders, pamphlets and other publicity material for distribution abroad. It also issues a monthly bulletin, Hong Kong Travel Bulletin, which now has a circulation of 11,000 mailed overseas. It also produces a news-sheet, News-Views, for its own members. Member- ship of the Association is in two categories-full members, who are air and steamship lines, hotels and travel and tourist agencies; and associate members, who are shops engaged in the tourist trade.