TRAVEL AND TOURISM
tours were staged during the Food Festival, the Bun Festival on Cheung Chau Island and the Tin Hau Festival celebrations in Yuen Long.
Conference and Incentive Travel
The HKTA's success in promoting the territory as a top-class venue for international conventions and corporate events is reflected in the growing number of international conferences and exhibitions confirmed for Hong Kong over the coming years. During 1996, Hong Kong played host to some 280 international events, bringing to the territory about 45 000 overseas delegates and participants. Incentive travel groups reached a record total of 1 746, with some 100 000 participants from all over the world.
Major events held in 1996 included: the International Hospital Federation Pan Regional Conference 1996/Hospital Authority Convention '96; the Bureau of International Recycling General Assembly; the 7th International Congress for Infectious Diseases; the 1996 World Congress on Personnel Management; the 6th Asia Pacific Conference on Electron Microscopy; The Joint Congress of the International Federation of Social Workers and the International Association of Schools of Social Work 1996; the 9th Asia Pacific Band Directors Association Conference; the 27th International Council on Social Welfare International Conference; the 3rd International Diabetes Federation Western Pacific Regional Congress; the Asia Pacific Broadcasting Union 33rd General Assembly 1996; the 10th Asia Pacific Regional Conference and Exhibition of the International Water Supply Association; and the 3rd Hong Kong International Cancer Congress/7th Epstein-Barr Virus and Associated Disease Congress.
Major events to be held in 1997 include the 4th Asia Pacific Life Insurance Congress in August, the prestigious World Bank/International Monetary Fund Meeting in September, the Asia Pacific Foreign Exchange Assembly in November and the World Trade Centres Association General Assembly in December. Events beyond 1997 include the International Union of Public Transport Regional Conference and the Airports Council International World Conference in 1998, the 14th World Congress on Sexology in 1999, the Asian Society of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery Conference in 2001 and the Asia Pacific Dental Congress in 2004. The 'Hong Kong Convention Ambassador Programme' expanded to recruit a total of some 800 top business leaders, professionals and academics from a wide variety of fields as Convention Ambassadors. They are committed to developing the territory's status as a venue for international meetings, conventions and incentive events, working closely with the HKTA to spread the Hong Kong message to their overseas. counterparts and business associates.
Local Activities
The HKTA organised local events during the year to further enhance awareness of the importance of the tourism industry to Hong Kong's resident population.
The Student Ambassador Programme, for its 29th year, selected about 150 students from those going overseas to further their education. They took part in a three-week programme of activities and events to increase their knowledge and understanding of various aspects of Hong Kong, enabling them to talk more knowledgeably and positively about their home.
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