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Travel and Tourism
In 2018, 1.97 million overnight MICE visitors arrived, an increase of 2.1 per cent over 2017. Major conventions and exhibitions included the Spine World Summit, 33rd Asia-Pacific Academy of Ophthalmology Congress, 71st CFA Institute Annual Conference, Cloud Expo Asia, Asian Attractions Expo, Forbes Under 30 Summit Asia, New York Times International Luxury Conference, International Society of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity Annual Meeting, 7th Asian Congress of Dietetics, 13th Pacific Rim Conference on Lasers and Electro-Optics, and 22nd International Congress of Parkinson's Disease and Movement Disorders.
Cruise Tourism
The Kai Tak Cruise Terminal can simultaneously accommodate two mega cruise ships with a gross tonnage of up to 220,000 tons each. In 2018, the terminal handled 170 ship calls involving 156 calendar days. Total passenger throughput exceeded 810,000.
The government and the board promote regional cooperation of the cruise industry through the Asia Cruise Cooperation, which leverages the synergy among the partnering ports via an incentive scheme named Asia Cruise Fund; joint promotion events and major industry events, so as to drive ship deployment to Hong Kong and foster its position as a regional cruise hub.
Mega Events
The government adopted a multi-pronged strategy in 2017-18 to support the staging of events varying in scale and nature in Hong Kong, so as to tie in with the policy objectives of product diversification and attracting high-yield overnight visitors. International events hosted in the city included the Hong Kong Tennis Open and the golf tournament Hong Kong Open, held in October and November respectively.
Mega events organised by the board annually include the International Chinese New Year Parade, Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival, E-Sports and Music Festival Hong Kong, Hong Kong Cyclothon, Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival, Hong Kong Pulse Light Festival and New Year countdown celebrations.
Green Tourism
The Great Outdoors Hong Kong campaign promotes the Hong Kong Unesco Global Geopark, the natural scenery of outlying islands, hiking trails, cycling routes and other green attractions via the board's website, guidebooks, mobile applications, social media platforms, visitor centres and a hotline. A pilot scheme to support the travel trade in promoting in-depth green tourism was launched in January.
Tourism Infrastructure, Facilities and Products
Hong Kong has something for everyone - the sightseer, the food lover, the shopper, the family, the businessman, the leisure traveller, the young and the old. Topping the popularity list of sightseeing spots is The Peak, which provides a panoramic view of Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and Victoria Harbour. Other attractions include theme parks, temples, heritage sites, the natural landscape, and the many shops that have earned Hong Kong the reputation as a shoppers' paradise. Accommodation options are also extensive, ranging from
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