XN000022-1976-08-16 — Page 2

MONDAY, AUGUST 16, 1976

HK PLANS TO ATTRACT TOURISTS WITH NEW FEATURES ******

THE TOURIST INDUSTRY HONG KONG'S SECOND BIGGEST MONEY EARNER AFTER THE TEXTILES AND CLOTHING INDUSTRY PLANS TO SELL HONG KONG WITH ITS NEW ATTRACTIONS, THE SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC SERVICES, MR. DEREK JONES DISCLOSED TODAY,

SPEAKING AT THE OPENING OF THE 19TH ANNUAL CONVENTION OF THE AUSTRALIAN FEDERATION OF TRAVEL AGENTS (AFTA) AT THE CONVENTION CENTRE, HE SAID THAT THE INDUSTRY WAS NOW BUSY TRYING TO DIVERSIFY THE OLD IMAGE OF GOOD SHOPPING, COMFORTABLE HOTELS, THE STAR FERRY AND THE FABULOUS VIEW OF THE HARBOUR FROM THE PEAK.

+WHAT IT IS SEEKING TO DO, LED BY THE HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION, IS FIRST TO DEVELOP NEW ATTRACTIONS AND, SECONDLY, TO DRAW ATTENTION TO MORE ATTRACTIVE FEATURES OF HONG KONG WHICH HAVE ALWAYS BEEN THERE BUT HAVE BEEN LITTLE PUBLICISED,+ HE SAID.

THE CONVENTION CENTRE, MR. JONES SAID, WAS AMONG THE NEW FEATURES THROUGH WHICH HONG KONG HOPED TO ATTRACT ITS FAIR SHARE OF THE CONVENTION AND INCENTIVE TRAFFIC NOW MOVING AROUND THE WORLD.

TOGETHER WITH OTHER FACILITIES IN COMFORTABLE HOTELS AND HONG KONG'S POSITION AT THE CENTRE OF COMMUNICATIONS IN SOUTH EAST ASIA, IT SHOULD MAKE HONG KONG A MOST ATTRACTIVE CENTRE FOR LARGE SCALE BUSINESS MEETINGS AND OTHER GATHERINGS.

+ANOTHER EXAMPLE IS THE 180 ACRE OCEANARIUM NOW UNDER CONSTRUCTION ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE HONG KONG ISLAND, HE SAID. +WHEN COMPLETED, THE OCEAN PARK WILL BE ONE OF THE LARGEST AND MOST SOPHISTICATED DEVELOPMENT OF ITS KIND IN THE WORLD.+

+THERE ARE ALSO PLANS NOW BEING DEVELOPED BY VARIOUS BUSINESS INTERESTS TO BUILD SEVERAL HOLIDAY RESORTS ON OUR LARGEST ISLAND, LANTAU.

+THESE WILL ALL HAVE ACCESS TO WHAT ARE NOW FAIRLY REMOTE BEACHES AND WILL INCLUDE HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, GOLF, TENNIS, SWIMMING, SAILING AND OTHER POPULAR WATER SPORTS, HE SAID,

MR. JONES NOTED THAT MORE THAN 1.3 MILLION VISITORS CAME TO HONG KONG LAST YEAR, SPENDING ALMOST HK$3,000 MILLION, OR A$500 MILLION.

THIS YEAR, HE SAID, HONG KONG HOPED TO DO SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER AND, IF LUCKY, THE TOTAL NUMBER OF VISITORS COULD TOP THE 1.5 MILLION MARK.

WITHIN LAST YEAR'S TOTAL, HE DISCLOSED, A RECORD 127,000 AUSTRALIAN VISITORS CAME TO HONG KONG, OR ALMOST 10 PER CENT OF THE FIGURE.

/+THIS