XN000022-1974-10-31 — Page 9

THURSURI, VCTOBER ST, 19742

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OF COURSE, HE SAID: +NO ONE IN HIS SENSES WOULD ADVOCATE MARBLE PALACES FOR GOVERNMENT AIRPORTS. IT WOULD BE EQUALLY EXTREME TO PROVIDE COWSHEDS, AND TO TREAT THOSE WHO MUST USE THEM AS CATTLE.+

ON THE QUESTION OF THE FINANCIAL BURDEN OF THE AIRPORT, MR. BRØMRIDGE SAID IT SHOULD NOT FALL ON THE TAXPAYER.

HE DID NOT CONSIDER THAT THE MAJORITY OF AIRLINES AND. OTHER USERS OF KAI TAK WOULD OBJECT TO PAYING FAIR OR EVEN INCREASED CHARGES, PROVIDED THAT THESE WOULD RESULT IN THE CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT OF FACILITIES.

MR. BREMRIDGE THEN TURNED TO THE TOURIST INDUSTRY AND CALLED ON THE GOVERNMENT TO GIVE MORE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION.

HE SAID AS HONG KONG'S THIRD MAJOR INDUSTRY, RANKING ONLY AFTER TEXTILES AND ELECTRONICS, TOURISM GENERATED A GROSS ANNUAL REVENUE OF MORE THAN HK$2.8 BILLION, ABOUT HK$1.7 BILLION OF WHICH IS REASONABLY ESTIMATED TO STAY IN HONG KONG.

+MOREOVER, THE TOURIST INDUSTRY EMPLOYS AT LEAST 100,000 OF OUR PEOPLE, WHO WOULD NOT FIND IT EASY NOW TO SECURE OTHER EMPLOYMENT.

+THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION IS ALSO A PRIME PURVEYOR OF THE OVERALL IMAGE OF HONG KONG TO THE WORLD, WHICH IS OF MAJOR IMPORTANCE TO US ALL,+ HE SAID.

MR. BREMRIDGE SAID THE ASSOCIATION, HOWEVER, HAD ONLY BEEN ABLE TO OPERATE. ON A YEAR-TO-YEAR BASIS AS A RESULT OF ITS PRIME FACIE DEPENDENCE ON THE HOTEL TAX, BESIDES GENEROUS GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE.

+WITH STEADILY INCREASING TOURISM, THIS WAS JUST ACCEPTABLE, BUT NOW IT APPEARS AS THOUGH HONG KONG WILL BE LUCKY IN 1974, AND POSSIBLY IN 1975, TO EXPERIENCE SIGNIFICANT TOURIST GROWTH,+ HE SAID.

HE HOPED THE ASSOCIATION'S DISCUSSIONS WITH THE SECRETARIAT WOULD RESULT IN AN AGREEMENT WHICH WILL PROVIDE THE ASSOCIATION WITH MORE MONEY ON A THREE-YEAR BASIS, SO THAT THE ASSOCIATION MAY PLAN AHEAD APPROPRIATELY.

+IT IS NO LONGER POSSIBLE TO CUT BACK ON EXPENDITURE ON A SEE-SAW ARRANGEMENT, SUBJECT TO THE VAGARIES OF YEAR-TO-YEAR REVENUE, + HE STRESSED.

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