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IMMIGRATION AND TOURISM

visas, and close co-operation is being maintained with the immigration authorities of other countries.

Personal Documentation

There was a 44 per cent increase in the demand for re-entry permits for Hong Kong residents to travel to China, together with a big increase in the demand for passports to travel to other countries. This imposed a severe strain on the department as officers strove to deal with the long queues of people which formed outside all immigration offices. Additional offices were opened and extra staff were found for this work. By September, the long queues had disappeared but the offices remained busy. More than one million documents were issued.

As a result of the increased immigration from China, the Registration of Persons Offices became heavily crowded by new arrivals applying for identity cards. Fortunately, when the British Forces vacated Victoria Barracks, near Central District, temporary office accommodation was obtained there. This enabled a special centre to deal with all applica- tions from new arrivals from China to be set up there at short notice.

In July, 1979, the Immigration Department became responsible for the registration of births, deaths and marriages. As a result, 176 members of the staff of the Registrar General's Department were transferred to the Immigration Department, either permanently or on secondment. Various measures to integrate this work with related aspects of the Immigration Department's duties, especially in the registration field, were being planned in 1979.

Tourism

Hong Kong received 2,213,209 visitors during 1979 an increase of 7.7 per cent over 1978. Expenditure by visitors continued to grow and in 1979 was estimated to be approximately $6,366 million, an increase of more than 24.7 per cent over the previous

year.

Of the major sources of visitors during 1979, the first five by volume were Southeast Asia (29.9 per cent), Japan (23 per cent), Western Europe (13.5 per cent), the United States (13.7 per cent), and Australia and New Zealand (7.6 per cent).

Hong Kong Tourist Association

The Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) is responsible for handling tourism and for proposing plans for its development. A statutory body established by the government, the HKTA co-ordinates the activities of the industry and advises the government on measures for its growth. The chairman and members of its board of management are appointed by the Governor. The HKTA is financed by a subvention from general revenue to which visitors contribute directly by way of a tax on hotel room charges. Members of the association also contribute to its cost through their membership dues and through other co-operative activities.

The HKTA is headquartered in Connaught Centre, on the waterfront of Hong Kong Island. Information offices for visitors are maintained at four other locations: Hong Kong International Airport; the Star Ferry concourse in Kowloon; the Government Publications Centre near the Hong Kong terminal of the Star Ferry; and the World Trade Centre in Causeway Bay. These offices play an important role in ensuring that visitors obtain up-to- date information about Hong Kong, and achieve maximum satisfaction during their