WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 1979
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NEW DIMENSION TO HONG KONG'S TOURIST INDUSTRY
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THE GOVERNOR, SIR MURRAY MACLEHOSE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THAT IMPROVED COMMUNICATIONS AND THE GROWTH OF THE CHINESE TOURIST INDUSTRY ADDED A NEW DIMENSION TO HONG KONG'S THRIVING TOURIST INDUSTRY.
IN HIS OPENING ADDRESS TO THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, SIR MURRAY SAID: I HOPE THE TWO INDUSTRIES CAN COLLABORATE TO THE IR MUTUAL ADVANTAGE.+
HE NOTED THAT MORE THAN TWO MILLION TOURISTS VISITED HONG KONG LAST YEAR AND THOSE BEING DRAWN TO CHINA ARE BOUND TO SWELL THAT NUMBER IN THE YEARS AHEAD.
HE ALSO SAID THAT THE PRESENT NUMBER OF HOTEL ROOMS - AT ABOUT 14 400 WAS INSUFFICIENT. BUT BECAUSE OF HIGH CONFIDENCE
- IN THE FUTURE OF THE INDUSTRY, THE NUMBER WOULD BE INCREASED TO OVER 20 000 BY THE END OF 1981.
+TOURISM SHOULD CONTINUE TO MAKE A USEFUL ECONOMIC CONTRIBUTION, ALTHOUGH IN NET TERMS THE CONTRIBUTION IS BEING INCREASINGLY OFFSET BY THE EXPENDITURE OF HONG KONG RESIDENTS TRAVELLING ABROAD,+ SIR MURRAY SAID.
SIR MURRAY ALSO SPOKE ON THE OPERATION OF THE CONSUMER COUNCIL WHICH, HE SAID, HAD ACHIEVED IMMEDIATE SUCCESS.
HE SAID SOME SIMPLE CONSUMER PROTECTION LAWS WOULD BE PUT BEFORE THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL FOR AMENDMENT OR ENACTMENT. THESE LAWS INCLUDE AMENDMENTS TO THE TRADE DESCRIPTIONS ORDINANCE AND THE WEIGHTS AND MEASURES ORDINANCE AND THE INTRODUCTION OF A BILL TO REGULATE HIRE PURCHASE.
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