The Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) is a statutory organisation established by the government in 1957 to develop Hong Kong as a visitor destination. It promotes the improvement of visitor facilities, secures overseas publicity for the SAR's attractions and advises the government on tourism-related matters. Over the past 41 years, the HKTA has worked closely with both local and international tour operators and travel agents, providing information, support, advice and a host of other services, enabling them to market Hong Kong effectively to their clients.

          The chairman and members of the HKTA Board of Management are appointed by the Chief Executive. The association is mainly funded by an annual subvention from the government. It also derives funds from membership dues, sales of publications and souvenirs, and from its own commercial tours. At the end of 1998, the association had 1 731 members, comprising international passenger carriers, hotel proprietors, travel agents, tour operators, conference/exhibition organisers, retailers, restaurants and other visitor service establishments.

          The HKTA maintains information and gift centres in the basement of Jardine House in Central District and at the Star Ferry concourse in Kowloon. It also operates three information counters at the Hong Kong International Airport. In 1998, these centres assisted about 3.7 million visitors. The HKTA also distributed 10.5 million pieces of visitor literature, handled about 4 800 written and e-mail enquiries, sent information to thousands of fax-users via its Infofax service and responded to some 48 000 enquiries on the multi-lingual telephone hotlines. The association, in conjunction with New World Telephone, has installed over 100 TouristInfo PowerPhones in popular tourist spots throughout Hong Kong, enabling visitors to access tourism-related information about Hong Kong easily and conveniently. The PowerPhones feature a touch-screen information centre as well as a standard telephone.

          During the year, some 29 000 souvenirs were sold through the HKTA's two information and gift centres, and at 63 outlets in hotels and major tourist areas. The association also assisted in the booking of local sightseeing tours for 13 000 visitors through the two centres.

          The HKTA also produced several target-specific brochures to tap potential market segments. These include Romantic Hong Kong (for couples and honeymooners), the Mature Traveller's Guide (for visitors over 60) and the Events and Festivals leaflets.

In May 1998, the HKTA launched a new world-wide marketing campaign under the banner We Are Hong Kong - City of Life with a view to repackaging and repositioning Hong Kong after its reunification with China. The new campaign, which is fully integrated in terms of advertising and collateral materials, focuses on Hong Kong's excitement as a cosmopolitan city, highlighting its cutting-edge international flavour and dynamism, compact diversity of attractions, and fascinating blend of East and West, traditional and modern. In particular, it focuses on the dynamic 'human' face of the city - its people. The campaign was launched world-wide from May 1998 covering major markets such as the USA, the UK, Taiwan, the Mainland and Japan. It features a wide range of new visuals and commercials that are used in both print and electronic media advertising.

          As part of the association's integrated marketing approach, the HKTA Internet home page was also re-designed and updated to feature a host of even more exciting and interactive options for surfers. It includes a recommended events listing under the Spotlight Hong Kong - Towards the Millennium events marketing programme. The website, which attracts around eight million hits every month and has already won many international awards, contributes considerably to the HKTA's emphasis on direct-to-consumer marketing. Country-specific home pages have also been set up. It also has links to other tourism-related organisations, including the China National Tourism Administration, the Shenzhen Trade Development Bureau (Tourism Bureau), the Hong Kong Hotels Association and the Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents.

          In addition, as part of the pre-event promotion for the large-scale Hong Kong City of Life - Stars Spectacular promotion held in August 1998, the HKTA organised, with the support of the local tourism and entertainment industries, PR blitzes featuring a host of Hong Kong stars to Southeast Asia, Taiwan, Japan and Korea. The performers helped to promote the Stars Spectacular tour package to Hong Kong, a highlight of which was the pop concert in which they starred. More than 8 000 visitors were attracted to Hong Kong as part of this programme.

          The HKTA organised a number of 'Contract Hong Kong' events for local hoteliers and travel agents to meet buyers from overseas. More than 60 buyers from Greece, Turkey, Italy, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Central and South America were invited to Hong Kong in groups for full-day pre-arranged appointments with local travel trade, enabling them to discuss business directly. Familiarisation visits to Hong Kong's latest tourism products were also organised for the overseas travel trade with good business potentials.

        As part of the association's continuing efforts to maintain international awareness of Hong Kong as a tourist destination and help dispel misconceptions, the HKTA organised a series of large-scale familiarisation programmes. More than 5 600 travel trade and media guests visited Hong Kong in 1998. All these programmes featured a comprehensive presentation about Hong Kong, including product updates, messages from the SAR government, an update on Hong Kong's hotels and sightseeing programmes, as well as an introduction to the new Hong Kong International Airport whenever possible.

          Special tactical promotions were held in both the summer and winter of 1998 to encourage more visitors to come to Hong Kong in these traditional 'low' seasons. Discounts and bonuses were major features of these promotions.

Throughout 1998, the HKTA organised a series of new events and promoted established ones, to market Hong Kong as a year-round travel destination and to highlight its unique blend of East and West. The extensive range of top-quality events adds to Hong Kong's reputation as the Events Capital of Asia.

          In particular, the HKTA organised the Chinese New Year Parade on the first day of the Lunar New Year, together with its accompanying Fiesta on the ensuing two days. The Hong Kong Food Festival was held in August instead of the normal time slot in March to coincide with the Food Expo organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council. In June, the annual Hong Kong Dragon Boat Festival - International Races, organised in conjunction with the Provisional Regional Council, took place in Sha Tin, attracting some 15 overseas teams and 88 local teams.

          The HKTA also introduced, in collaboration with other bodies, another new initiative - the Harbourfront Fest event. It features street-side entertainment by amateur and professional local performers and was held in the Piazza outside the Hong Kong Cultural Centre every second Sunday in early 1998. The Fest, originally planned to be staged for a specific period of time, proved so popular that it was made an ongoing event, as well as being extended to every Saturday and Sunday in July as part of the JulyFest summer promotion.

          To help promote Hong Kong as the Event Capital of Asia, in 1998 the government lent the HKTA $100 million to set up the International Events Fund. It will be utilised over five years as seed money to support the staging of major international events that could bring in additional visitors and tourism receipts. A Steering Committee comprising representatives from the public and private sectors was set up to oversee the fund's use. Since its establishment, loans have been approved to cover six major events.

          To further support the objective, the government leased the former Tamar site to the HKTA for the period from September 1998 to June 2000. Over the last four months of 1998, the association co-organised or staged a series of events on this landmark site, including the City of Life - Harbour Fun Carnival, held on Sundays throughout October and November and featuring such theme evenings as a Mid-Autumn Festival celebration, Hong Kong's first outdoor Halloween Masquerade party, a Hong Kong Pop Concert and a Hong Kong Heritage Banquet - Thousand Bowl Feast. In addition, the popular Hong Kong International Industrial Products Exhibition, which promotes Hong Kong's outstanding industrial products and has a history of more than 30 years, began at the Tamar site at the end of 1998 to run through to early 1999.

To focus resources on developing new products for visitors, the HKTA has begun to hand the day-to-day operation of some of its regular tours to commercial enterprises. Such include the popular Land Between tour of the New Territories and the Come Horseracing Tour that takes participants to the racecourse at either Happy Valley or Sha Tin to experience Hong Kong's most popular spectator sport. Other tours the HKTA continues to operate include the Sports and Recreation Tour, the Family Insight Tour, the Historic Hong Kong Tour and the Transit Tour.

          In addition to these guided tours, the HKTA's self-guided walking tours covering Central and Western District, Yau Ma Tei, Cheung Chau, Lantau and Sai Kung continued to be popular. Added to this collection is the new Heritage and Architecture Walking Tour: Hong Kong Island, which makes use of a hired portable audio system that provides a running commentary on the various tour sights and locations.

          The HKTA also introduced several new products in 1998, further promoting Hong Kong's culture and heritage. Among these were the Fung Shui Tour, and the tours to the new bargain area in Wan Chai and the Bird-Fish-Flower Leisure Experience in the Mong Kok area.

          The HKTA is working closely with its member tour operators and other relevant parties to encourage the development of new products, as well as specialised theme tours. For example, in 1998, the association helped to establish a new bus service between Kowloon and Stanley.

The convention, exhibition and incentive travel sector is a key component of the tourist industry. The HKTA's commitment and efforts in promoting Hong Kong as a world-class venue for major international conferences and exhibitions is well reflected in the growing number of such events confirmed to be held in Hong Kong over the coming years. During 1998, Hong Kong hosted some 1 309 international events, attracting about 287 000 overseas delegates and participants.

          Major international association meetings held in Hong Kong in 1998 included the 11^th Rehabilitation International Asia & the Pacific Regional Conference cum Campaign '98 for the Asian & Pacific Decade of Disabled Persons 1993-2002; the 20^th Annual International Conference of IEEE Engineering in Medicine & Biology Society; the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine 1^st International Congress; the 15^th Annual Conference of the Hong Kong Educational Research Association; and the Fire Asia Conference.

          All upcoming conferences and exhibitions are listed in a calendar available both in print and on the association's website. Major events scheduled to be held over the coming few years include: the 8^th World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations Convention 1999; the International Conference on Teacher Education (1999); the 32^nd International General Meeting of the Pacific Basin Economic Council (1999); the Asia Pacific Hospice Conference (1999); the 14^th World Congress on Sexology (1999); the International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement (2000); the 11^th Asian Pacific Congress of Gastroenterology & 8^th Asian-Pacific Congress of Digestive Endoscopy (2000); the World Assembly of United Way International Conference (2000); the 17^th International Conference on Human Tumour Markers (2000); the Chinese Congress of Clinical Chemistry & Laboratory Medicine (2000); the 64^th Y's Men International Convention (2000); the 6^th Asian Society of Hepato Biliary Pancreatic Surgery Conference (2001); the 12^th World Productivity Congress (2001); the International Psychogeriatric Association Regional Meeting (2002); the World Congress of Accountants 2002; the International Cardiac Pacing & Electrophysiology Society World Symposium (2003); the Asia Pacific Dental Congress (2004); and the Lions Clubs International Convention (2005).

          In a major move to encourage even more organisations to consider Hong Kong for their events, the HKTA joined forces with 40 top hotels in Hong Kong, as well as the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Hongkong International Trade and Exhibition Centre, to create the Value Plus package that offers a 30 to 50 per cent discount on accommodation and function space rental, depending on the time of the year.

          In June 1998, the HKTA hosted the Asian Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaux Annual Convention. Some 60 leaders of such bodies in the region experienced Hong Kong's many advantages as an international meeting destination, and exchanged ideas on the development of the global meetings industry.

          The association is also exploiting opportunities to further develop the exhibition market in Hong Kong and attended the International Association for Exposition Management Annual Meeting & EXPO!EXPO! in Nashville, USA, in December 1998.

          The association also organised delegations to international trade shows, including the European Incentive and Business Travel and Meetings Exhibition in Geneva, the Incentive Travel and Meetings Executive Show in Chicago and the Asia Pacific Incentives and Meetings Expo in Melbourne. Participation by members of the Hong Kong travel industry in such events continues to grow.

          The HKTA offered assistance to individuals and groups with on-site inspections and educational visits. Among the most important of these were the Hong Kong - Meeting Your Choice event in March 1998, which was attended by 80 association executives from world-wide professional bodies, and the Incentive Travel Workshop in April 1998, which attracted more than 120 major incentive travel agents from around the world. Similar workshops targeted at Taiwan and Mainland China agents were also run in April, while workshops specifically for the Japan market were organised in September and December. Special programmes and itineraries were developed for these participants, enabling them to experience the advantages of Hong Kong as a top incentive travel destination.

          The HKTA has also developed a special Convention/Meeting Planners Guide, along with a CD-ROM, to assist incentive and corporate meetings organiser to plan their Hong Kong programmes effectively. This information is also available on the association's website.

          In 1998, the HKTA continued to make good use of its Convention Ambassador Programme, which was launched in 1994. Some 800 top business leaders, professionals and academics from a wide variety of fields have joined the programme and are committed to developing Hong Kong's status as a venue for international meetings, conventions and incentive events. They work closely with the HKTA to spread the Hong Kong message among their overseas counterparts and business associates.

Besides promoting Hong Kong overseas, the HKTA also organises local events throughout the year to further enhance awareness among Hong Kong residents of the importance of the tourism industry to Hong Kong.

          In 1998, the association launched its community-wide Be A Good Host Campaign, which aimed at encouraging people to learn more about - and, therefore, take more pride in - their home. A complementary aspect of the campaign was its call for Hong Kong people to extend a courteous welcome to visitors and help them feel at home. Well-known Hong Kong stars, including Leon Lai, Cass Phang, Lydia Shum, Eric Tsang, Nat Chan, Priscilla Chan, Ekin Cheng and Lo Ka Leung, supported the campaign by participating in a series of television advertisements. The campaign was further publicised through newspapers, magazines and radio.

          The HKTA also staged, as part of the Be A Good Host Campaign, an 828 Courtesy Day celebration, a Super Staff election campaign, a Discover Hong Kong Competition, a Mystery Shopper Programme and a range of other programmes aimed at service sectors such as taxi-drivers.

          The HKTA is also working on the establishment of a 'Quality Tourism Services' Scheme to enhance service quality in retail shops and restaurants throughout Hong Kong. This will involve a system of certification for those establishments that meet the prescribed service criteria. Special decals will be awarded to these establishments.

          The HKTA continues to play its role in the field of industry training and works closely with the Vocational Training Council and other institutes to ensure sufficient and relevant courses are available for industry practitioners, or those wishing to join it. The association publishes a Hotel, Catering and Tourism Courses Directory to provide comprehensive and detailed information about the availability of such courses.

          To further raise service standards in the industry, the HKTA runs the Wonder-Host training programme, which was launched in January 1996 and has trained some 4 700 people from more than 280 HKTA member establishments.

          The association publishes the membership directory for the Hong Kong Association of Registered Tour Co-ordinators (HARTCO), which was established to maintain high professional standards among tour co-ordinators. The directory helps tourism personnel select qualified guides. The biannual Hong Kong Tour Co-ordinator of the Year Award was held in 1998, helping to improve service and courtesy standards further, and gaining recognition for the SAR's tour co-ordinators. Around 7 000 nominations were received from visitors during the nomination period. The HKTA also assisted HARTCO in its successful bid to host the 8^th World Federation of Tourist Guide Associations Convention in early 1999, providing local tour co-ordinators with an exceptional opportunity to share their experience with their overseas counterparts. With the support of the government's Service Support Fund, a study was conducted to evaluate the need to upgrade the service professionalism of Hong Kong's tour co-ordinators. The study provided useful information about the nature and appropriate level and structure of training, as well as the accreditation needed to attain a world-class standard of service quality in this field.

          Another new campaign created to raise service standards was the Hong Kong Award for Services programme, initiated by the government. Under its auspices, the HKTA organises the Tourism Services Award. In 1998, this award attracted entries from a variety or companies and organisations offering services or facilities to visitors.

          The HKTA supports the Travel and Tourism Education Programme. In the academic year 1998/99, a total of 75 schools will have made Travel and Tourism a subject on their curriculum, reaching some 4 800 students. The HKTA also holds regular career seminars, exhibitions and presentations to encourage school children to consider a career in tourism. In 1998, the association participated in the 8^th Education and Careers Expo, creating a 'Tourism Street' that introduced career prospects in the airline, hotel, travel agency and tour co-ordination fields. Three seminars, each attracting more than 200 people, were also conducted.

The establishment of the Tourism Development Fund in 1996 enabled the HKTA to finance feasibility studies on a number of priority new attractions recommended in the Visitor and Tourism Study for Hong Kong, completed at the end of 1995. So far, subjects studied have included a Hong Kong Exposition, a Film City theme park, the hotel demand and supply, a proposed aquatic stadium/centre, the cruise market of Hong Kong, the Visitor and Recreation Sub-Study at Pak Shek Kok, and development of a strategy for visitor signage and information, and heritage and architecture walks.

          Studies under way include one for an International Wetland Park, an assessment of the resort hotel development market, Phase Two of the Aquatic Stadium/Centre Study, A Green Guide to Hong Kong, Enhancement of Existing Tourist Attractions in Central & Western District, Environmentally Sustainable Development Strategy for the Travel and Tourism Industry in Hong Kong and Hotel Development Information System. The HKTA was also involved in various government studies.