TRAVEL AND TOURISM
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project will enrich the quality of life for local residents by providing a wider range of excellent recreational facilities.
Providing a high standard of service to visitors is equally important to the success of the tourism industry. In this connection, a Quality Tourism Services Scheme has been introduced to the retail and restaurant sector. To maintain the service standard of inbound travel operators, a special working group was set up to examine how the regulation of these operators could be strengthened.
Hong Kong continued to further co-operation with the Mainland in promoting tourism. The HKTA expanded its Beijing office in 1998 and its Shanghai office commenced operation in October. The HKTA has also entered into agreements with Bejing and the provinces of Sichuan and Yunnan to develop multi-destination tourism. In addition, there was continued co-operation with the Guangdong and Macau authorities in promoting travel routes in the Pearl River Delta.
In line with the aim of pursuing a comprehensive tourism development strategy, and to spearhead the industry's growth, the Government appointed in May its first. Commissioner for Tourism. The commissioner is responsible for formulating policy and overall strategy in promoting tourism, considering the feasibility of new tourism attractions; co-ordinating with other government bureaux and departments on tourism related matters; and working closely with the HKTA. In August, a Tourism Strategy Group was established to advise the Government on broad strategic and policy issues in tourism.
Hong Kong Tourist Association
Serving visitors in Hong Kong, the HKTA maintains Visitor Information and Services Centres located in The Center, Queen's Road Central, on Hong Kong Island and at the Star Ferry concourse in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. There are information counters at the Hong Kong International Airport.
In 1999, these centres assisted around 936 000 million visitors. The HKTA also distributed 7.2 million items of visitor literature, handled about 47 500 written, e-mail and telephone hotlines enquiries and sent information to thousands of fax-users through its Infofax service. The HKTA, in conjunction with a telephone company, has installed more than 140 'Tourist Info PowerPhones' in popular tourist areas throughout Hong Kong, by which visitors can easily obtain tourism-related information.
The HKTA produced a variety of new market or segment-specific brochures and revised existing material to tap potential market segments. In addition, the association collaborated with various public and private sector organisations in producing tourism-related publications. Among major projects were a CD-ROM and an historical chart entitled Hong Kong's Heritage - a History of 6,000 Years, which were produced in association with the Antiquities and Monuments Office, and Exploring Hong Kong's Countryside A Visitor's Companion, Hong Kong's first comprehensive 'green' guidebook, which was a joint project of the HKTA and the Agriculture and Fisheries Department.
Marketing Activities
In early 1999, the HKTA launched the second phase of its world-wide marketing campaign, We Are Hong Kong City of Life. The five-pronged promotion, under