ENG-1995 — Page 361

TRAVEL AND TOURISM

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Marketing Activities

In April, the HKTA launched a new world-wide marketing campaign with the theme 'Wonders Never Cease'. The campaign incorporated creative new design and conceptual styles that will position Hong Kong as Asia's most desirable visitor destination well into the next century. New publications, collateral materials and souvenirs were designed to reflect the theme. A Wonders Never Cease video was produced to support promotional activities and to be shown on inflight videos; a theined home-page on Internet's World Wide Web was established; and the concept was incorporated into every aspect of HKTA marketing. The campaign has proved a

success.

Another major marketing initiative aimed directly at potential visitors in Europe was the Hong Kong European Mobile Pavilion a unique touring roadshow and exhibition which recreated the experience of a visit to Hong Kong. The pavilion completed its first year of operation, touring some 60 European towns and cities in Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Belgium and Italy, bringing Hong Kong and the 'Wonders Never Cease' message to the 26 500 people who visited it.

The HKTA continued to participate in the Pearl River Delta Tourism Marketing Organisation. This includes the Macau Government Tourist Office and the Guang- dong Provincial Tourism Bureau, with support from the China National Tourism Administration and trade organisations. In the year, consumer brochures of the region were produced in English and pamphlets in seven languages for distribution to the international travel trade. An independent Pearl River Delta stand was exhibited at five major trade shows, and 141 travel trade personnel and 12 repre- sentatives from the media took familiarisation trips to the region. In conjunction with several private companies, a 'Passport to Privileges' campaign was launched, offering special discounts for travellers to the Pearl River Delta.

Similar co-operative ventures were being developed in other important areas such as the cruise market. The HKTA is working to develop Hong Kong as the 'New Cruising Hub of Asia'. In 1995, a range of publications was produced; the HKTA co- organised a seminar on the cruise market during 'International Travel Expo Hong Kong '95'; and exhibited jointly with the China National Tourism Administration at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention in Miami, USA.

As part of its annual marketing activities, the HKTA headed Hong Kong delegations to 12 major trade events overseas, including World Travel Market in London, the International Tourism Exchange in Berlin, the Pacific Asia Travel Association Travel Mart in Sydney and the Asia Travel Mart in Singapore.

Joint promotions with travel industry partners such as hotels and airlines were also conducted overseas. These included a South-East Asia Roadshow to Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta and Manila, and travel trade missions to Taiwan, Japan and South America.

The HKTA was active in the government-led 'Hong Kong-Japan Partnership' promotion in September. Some 30 leaders from public and private sector organisa- tions in Hong Kong joined the Chief Secretary for the week-long event. The HKTA held a seminar on Hong Kong's tourism industry, focusing on the territory's investment opportunities, particularly in hotel development, for the Japanese-based travel trade. The HKTA also organised a consumer 'wonders' exhibition featuring a large replica of an antique tram, a video wall showing the HKTA's Wonders Never