XN000022-1984-02-06 — Page 5

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1984

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THE NUMBER OF LAND GRANTS AND MODIFICATIONS OF LEASE CONDITIONS COMPLETED LAST YEAR DECREASED FROM 279 IN 1982 TO 245, WHILE THE TOTAL PREMIUM INVOLVED DROPPED BY 83 PER CENT FROM $7.01 BILLION TO $1.194 BILLION,

OVER THE SAME PERIOD, SURRENDERS AND RESUMPTIONS OF LAND ROSE BY 30 PER CENT FROM 251 TO 327, WITH THE AMOUNT OF COMPENSATION GROWING BY 193.5 PER CENT FROM $128 MILLION TO $376 MILLION.

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF PROPERTY OWNERS THROUGHOUT HONG KONG ROSE BY 6.1 PER CENT FROM 615 815 IN 1981 TO 653 422 IN 1982 AND AGAIN BY 7.6 PER CENT TO 702 787 IN 1983.

HK SEEN AS MODEL PLACE FOR INCENTIVE TRAVEL

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IN ADDITION TO ITS NATURAL AND OTHER ADVANTAGES. HONG KONG WAS THE BEST WORKING MODEL OF SUCCESSFUL PRIVATE ENTERPRISE THAT COULD BE FOUND FOR INCENTIVE TRAVEL, THE SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, MR DENIS BRAY, SAID TODAY.

PEOPLE ON INCENTIVE TRAVEL, WHO HAD BEEN REWARDED FOR THEIR ENTERPRISE, WERE THE PEOPLE MOST LIKELY TO GET A STIMULUS FROM CONTACT WITH THE HONG KONG WAY OF LIFE, MR BRAY SAID.

+THEY ARE THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE DRIVE AND ENTERPRISE THEMSELVES AND ARE JUST THE SORT OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD TAKE A GREAT INTEREST IN WHAT HAPPENS WHEN PRIVATE ENTERPRISE IS REALLY ALLOWED ITS HEAD,+ HE SAID, AT THE OPENING OF THE INTERNATIONAL SEMINAR FOR INCENTIVE TRAVEL USERS, THIS MORNING.

NOTING THAT THE SEMINAR WAS BEING HELD TO STUDY HONG KONG'S FEATURES AS A DESTINATION FOR INCENTIVE TRAVEL, MR BRAY SAID, +OURS

IS A RELATIVELY SOPHISTICATED SOCIETY WHICH EASILY AND HAPPILY ACCEPTS VISITORS AND PROVIDES NATURAL HOSPITALITY.+

THERE WAS MUCH MORE TO HONG KONG BEYOND THE ATTRACTIONS OF EATING AND SHOPPING, MR BRAY SAID.

ALTHOUGH THOUGHT OF AS ESSENTIALLY AN URBAN AREA, HONG KONG HAS A COUNTRYSIDE +REVEALING THE OFTEN UNSUSPECTED DELIGHTS OF HONG KONG IN WHICH THE TRADITIONS OF ANCIENT WAYS ARE STILL VIGOROUS,+ HE SAID.

+IN CITY AND COUNTRYSIDE THESE TRADITIONS ARE CELEBRATED IN CEREMONIES AND FESTIVALS LIKE THE GREAT NEW YEAR HOLIDAYS JUST PAST -- IN FACT IF YOU FIND A RATHER SLEEPY AIR ABOUT NOW YOU SHOULD KNOW THAT IT REALLY TAKES US QUITE A LONG TIME TO GET BACK TO FULL SPEED AFTER CHINESE NEW YEAR, MR BRAY ADDED.

/ON THE