HK Tourism Targets Short-haul Markets
HONG KONG, September 27 -- The Hong
Kong tourism industry is relocating resources to
short-haul markets like the Chinese mainland and
Taiwan as one of its countermeasures following
the September 11 terrorist attacks in the United
States,a tourism official said Thursday.
The incident in the United States has affected
tourism worldwide and, as a result, Hong Kong
Tourism Board has immediately adjusted and
modified its promotional strategies in accordance
with the market environment and situation, said
Clara Chong, Executive Director of HKTB.
Since the incident, the HKTB has halted
consumer promotion activities in the United States
and Canada and has relocated resources to short-
haul markets, in particular, the Chinese mainland
and Taiwan markets, said Chong.
She said the Chinese mainland and Taiwan
markets, Hong Kong's two biggest source markets
accounting for around 50 percent of its total
visit arrivals, were the least affected by the
terrorist attacks, and The HKTB "will further
strengthen promotion in these two markets."
The HKTB will be urging the authorities
concerned to draw up measures that would make it
easier for travelers to visit Hong Kong. This
would include increasing the quota of Hong Kong
tours for mainland visitors and streamlining visa
application procedures for business travelers,
Chong said.
For the Taiwan market, the HKTB suggests
speeding up the implementation of the "iPermit"
electronic visa system and increasing the number
of flights to and from Taiwan, she said.
Chong said she believed that North Asia and
Australia are two markets still possessing
potential and that the HKTB will monitor closely
the situation and will strengthen promotional
activities at an appropriate time.
Earlier this year, the HKTB forecast growth of
7.8 percent in visitor arrivals to 14.08 million.
In view of the current market environment in the U.
S., the HKTB has adjusted the forecast downwards
and estimates total arrivals for 2001 will be
similar to 2000, at around 13.06 million,
according to Chong.
-- source: Xinhua News Agency
 return to travel news index
|
