XN000022-1989-01-25 — Page 32

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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 25, 1989

COUNTRY PARKS SURVEY RESULTS ANNOUNCED

ALTHOUGH COUNTRY PARKS HAVE BECOME AN ACCEPTED PART OF HONG KONG LIFE, THERE HAVE BEEN FEWER FEMALE VISITORS IN RECENT YEARS, WITH THE PROPORTION OF THOSE OVER THE AGE OF 25 BEING ONLY ONE-FOURTH OF THEIR MALE COUNTERPARTS.

THIS WAS ONE OF THE FINDINGS OF A MAJOR COUNTRY PARKS VISITOR SURVEY CONDUCTED BY THE COUNTRY PARKS AUTHORITY OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT.

ANNOUNCING THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY, THE DEPARTMENT'S SENJOR DEVELOPMENT OFFICER (COUNTRYSIDE), MR WONG FOOK-YEE, SAID TODAY (WEDNESDAY) THE SURVEY SHOWED A MALE AND FEMALE RATIO OF 72:28 IN THE VISITOR PATTERN, COMPARED WITH 67:33 RECORDED IN THE PREVIOUS SURVEY CONDUCTED IN 1985.

**THE DECREASE IN THE NUMBER OF FEMALE VISITORS MAY BE ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE FACT THAT FEMALES OVER THE AGE OF 25 ARE MOSTLY ENGAGED IN FAMILY AFFAIRS ESPECIALLY IN TAKING CARE OF YOUNG CHILDREN.

"ANOTHER POSSIBLE EXPLANATION 15 THAT BECAUSE OF THE PREVAILING LABOUR SHORTAGE IN THE TERRITORY, MORE FEMALES HAVE TAKEN UP EMPLOYMENT," HE SAID.

THE SURVEY, THE THIRD SINCE 1983, WAS CONDUCTED BETWEEN NOVEMBER 1987 AND JANUARY LAST YEAR IN 17 COUNTRY PARKS AND THE ΤΑΙ PO KAU NATURE RESERVE.

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SOME 6,790 VISITORS WERE SELECTED AT RANDOM

FIND OUT THE USAGE PATTERN OF PARK VISITORS AND TO IDENTIFY THEIR NREDS FOR PARK FACILITIES AND SERVICES.

MR WONG SAID AMONG THE PARK VISITORS INTERVIEWED IN THE SURVEY + IT WAS FOUND THAT MORE PEOPLE OVER THE AGE OF 25 VISITED COUNTRY PARKS WITH THE MOST ACTIVE GROUP BEING IN THE AGE RANGE OF FOLLOWED BY THE AGE GROUPS OF 30 39 AND 20

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29.

THE AGE GROUP DISTRIBUTION REFLECTED IN THE SURVEY WAS 26 PER CENT IN THE 25 29 AGE GROUP; 23.4 PER CENT IN THE 30 39 AGE GROUP; 21.4 PER CENT IN THE 20 24 AGE GROUP; 14.6 PER CENT IN THE 15

19 AGE GROUP: 9.8 PER CENT IN THE 40 59 AGE GROUP; AND 3.3 PER CENT AGED 60 AND OVER.

THE SURVEY

ALSO SHOWED THAT ABOUT 69.7 PER CENT OF THE · VISITORS WERE OF SECONDARY EDUCATIONAL LEVEL, 16.9 PER CENT OF POST-SECONDARY AND UNIVERSITY STANDARD AND 12.1 TER CENT HAVING

RECEIVED PRIMARY EDUCATION.

OF THE PARK

IN TERM OF OCCUPATION, THE LARGEST PROPORTION VISITORS OR 30.7 L'ER CENT, BELONGED то THE CLERICAL, SALES AND SERVICES CATEGORY," MR WONG SAID.

/THE SECOND