ENG-1990 — Page 345

TRAVEL AND TOURISM

was organised, culminating in the Grand Final in December, with 16 winners of national competitions from all over the world joining the two winners of competitions for Hong Kong residents and visitors to the territory in mid-1990.

Leading the Meet were seven world-renowned photographers who gave seminars on various aspects of photography, held critique sessions and attended a variety of social occasions connected with the event.

Together with three overseas teams based in Chicago, London and Sydney, the HKTA's Convention and Incentive Travel Bureau was active in pursuing more convention and incentive travel business to Hong Kong. Various promotions staged overseas included that incorporating a new Hong Kong Stand at the Incentive Travel and Meeting Executives Show in Chicago.

The convention and exhibition business has grown from 15 international events in 1976 to 450 in 1990. Incentive travel has also increased from less than 200 groups in 1982 to 500 in 1990. Conference and incentive travel is high-yield business as these visitors tend to stay twice as long and spend three times as much as the average visitor.

The association continued to emphasise the importance of training in the service in- dustries to maintain Hong Kong's high reputation in this regard. Its Industry Training Department continued to run the Effective Selling Skills certificate programme for staff in the retail trade, as well as courses designed specifically for tour co-ordinators and restaurant service staff, and customer service certificate programmes.

The Industry Training Department also introduced a new Korean Language Certificate Course, a Tourism Employees Preparatory Programme and a Tourism Employees Re- cruitment Service.

To encourage greater courtesy among front-line staff in the industry, the HKTA organised the Hong Kong Cares Travel Industry Courtesy Campaign. The six-month programme was aimed at all sectors of the travel industry and attracted more than 23 000 nominations from visitors; some 40 000 personnel in six categories were designated Courtesy Ambassadors and some 1 200 establishments participated in the campaign. The winner of the Grand Courtesy Award and five winners of Outstanding Performance Awards took part in a South-east Asian tour to promote Hong Kong's image as a courteous destination.

For the 23rd year, the HKTA organised the Student Ambassador Programme whereby 100 students who are going overseas to further their studies in tertiary institutions take part in a month-long programme comprising lectures, tours and special visits designed to increase their awareness of various aspects of Hong Kong and enable them to talk confidently about their home.

The association continued to publish regular reports on the performance of Hong Kong's tourism industry and to conduct its Visitor Survey, which monitors changes in the basic demographics of all visitors, their activities, spending patterns and their attitudes towards Hong Kong's tourism facilities. Major research publications which are produced by the HKTA include: A Statistical Review of Tourism; Report on Tourism Receipts; Visitor Arrival Statistics; Visitor Profile Report; Hotel Room Occupancy Report; Hotel Supply Situation; Hong Kong Hotel Industry Report; and Airline Statistics.

In 1990, six new hotels opened bringing the total number of hotel rooms available in Hong Kong to 28 904. This reflects the continuing confidence that the private developer is placing in the future of Hong Kong's tourism industry.

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