XN000022-1987-10-07 — Page 50

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WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 7, 1987

FULL COMPUTERISATION OF IMMIGRATION POINTS BY 1989

TRAVELLERS WITH HONG KONG IDENTITY CARDS WILL BE ABLE TO PASS THROUGH ALL OF HONG KONG'S IMMIGRATION CONTROL POINTS WITHOUT HAVING TO COMPLETE ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE CARDS BY MID-1989, THE GOVERNOR, SIR DAVID WILSON, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).

HE ATTRIBUTED THIS TO THE INTRODUCTION OF COMPUTER SYSTEMS AT THE IMMIGRATION CONTROL POINTS THE FIRST OF WHICH WERE INSTALLED AT THE MACAU FERRY TERMINAL AND THE SHAM SHUI PO PIER IN MAY THIS YEAR.

"THE SYSTEM HAS NOW BEEN EXTENDED TO COVER THE LO WU AND HUNG HOM CONTROL POINTS; AND IT WILL SOON BE INTRODUCED ALSO AT THE MAN KAM TO AND SHA TAU KOK CROSSINGS," HE SAID.

SIR DAVID ADDED THAT ΚΑΙ TAK AIRPORT AND THE CHINA FERRY TERMINAL IN CANTON ROAD WOULD BE COVERED IN MID-1988; AND, FINALLY, LOK MA CHAU IN MID-1989.

TURNING TO MEASURES AGAINST TRAVEL AGENTS WHICH SUDDENLY CEASED BUSINESS OR DEFAULTED ON THEIR OBLIGATIONS, SIR DAVID SAID THE PROBLEM WAS NOT UNIQUE TO HONG KONG.

"ALTHOUGH WE DO HAVE LEGISLATION COVERING TRAVEL AGENTS IT IS BECOMING CLEAR THAT, WITHOUT THE DEPLOYMENT OF DISPROPORTIONATE RESOURCES, THIS ALONE CANNOT PROVIDE AN ADEQUATE SAFEGUARD AGAINST INEFFICIENT AND FRAUDULENT OPERATORS."

SIR DAVID SAID THAT THERE NOW SEEMS TO BE A GENERAL CONSENSUS THAT THE BEST WAY FORWARD WAS FOR THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY ΤΟ REGULATE ITSELF AND THAT IT SHOULD ADOPT SOUND AND PRUDENT PRACTICES IN ORDER TO PROTECT ITS OWN INTEGRITY AS WELL AS THE INTERESTS OF ITS CUSTOMERS.

"THE GOVERNMENT ARE LIAISING CLOSELY WITH ORDER TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE,

**

THE INDUSTRY IN

HE NOTED.

ON TOURISM, SIR DAVID SAID THE NUMBER OF TOURISTS VISITING HONG KONG WOULD SOON REACH FOUR MILLION A YEAR, COMPARED WITH ONE MILLION IN THE MID-1970'S.

MADE A

HE NOTED THAT OVER THE YEARS, THE TOURIST INDUSTRY HAD VERY SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO THE ECONOMY, RELYING MOSTLY ON ITS OWN RESOURCES AND WITHOUT GOVERNMENT ASSISTANCE.

"EVEN THE TOURIST ASSOCIATION IS LARGELY FINANCED FROM THE HOTEL ACCOMMODATION," HE SAID.

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