ENG-1965 — Page 206

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IMMIGRATION AND TOURISM

plant' which forms the basis of the tourist industry. The biggest single project is the Ocean Terminal, which will play a vital part in Hong Kong's travel industry when it opens next year. The Colony's hotels continue to give excellent service and maintain a very high standard of decor and comfort. The number of rooms decreased from 6,244 to 5,731, but this was due to demolition prior to recons- truction and it is expected that the figure will once again increase next year. Most of the leading hotels have developed shopping arcades in or adjacent to their buildings and the quality of mer- chandise available helps to maintain Hong Kong's worldwide reputation as a great international shopping centre.

Everything possible is done to assist travel agents throughout the world who are generating travel business. It is necessary to produce the highest quality promotional material and in 1965 the Hong Kong Tourist Association distributed 790,515 leaflets, posters, etc through 7,084 channels in 96 countries. Most of this literature was printed in English, French, German, Italian, Spanish and Japanese, and it was difficult to meet the ever-increasing demands for more. In order to supplement this publicity, the Tourist Associa- tion took part in a considerable number of special display events in leading stores in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia, the United States, and Canada.

Due to the rapidly increasing importance of the Japanese market, the Tourist Association has made initial arrangements for repre- sentation both in offices and by public relations consultants in Tokyo and five other major cities in Japan. The Association has space in the Hong Kong Government London Office, in addition to its own offices in High Holborn. The Sydney office is now too small and new premises will have to be found in the near future. During the year an experimental arrangement was made for repre- sentation in Beirut. The Association's representation in the United States, based on San Francisco, was extremely successful during the year. However it is becoming increasingly urgent that the Association should have representation in New York so that the eastern seaboard can be properly covered.

During the year Hong Kong was the host country, or the venue, for a considerable number of conferences and conventions. These included the American Society of Travel Agents (2,112 delegates), the Sixth International Federation of Asian and Western Pacific