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Tourism
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47. In recent years, tourism has been one of the fastest-growing sectors of the economy. Last year, the number of visitors increased by 21%. The Hong Kong Tourism Board is forecasting a growth rate in excess of 8% this year. This encouraging development is attributable to the joint efforts of the Government and the tourism industry itself. It is clear that service quality is an important part of our competitive advantage. Many tourists choose to shop in Hong Kong because our goods are fashionable and of guaranteed quality.
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| 48. The tourism industry workforce in Hong Kong enjoys a high reputation for its service quality. Two "thank you" letters from Shanghai clearly bear this out. A tourist from Shanghai shopped in a department store in Hong Kong but forgot to take his purchase away with him, while another left behind a mobile phone while shopping in a leather goods store. On their way back to the stores, these two tourists were worried about how they would be able to explain their problems to the salespersons and retrieve their belongings. However, not only were they able to get them without any difficulty, they were also courteously treated at every stage by those they encountered. It had never crossed their mind that their plight could be resolved in such a prompt and simple manner. They recounted their happy experience to the media after returning to Shanghai. The magazine that published the two stories made the following comment: "The Chinese tourists told their relatives and friends about the quality services they received and Hong Kong's reputation as an international city was built up. This shows that every individual makes his contribution to the investment environment." 3
3 Refer to Yazhou Zhoukan published on 21 October 2002
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49. The Government will continue to promote tourism. New tourist attractions are coming on stream. In addition, we will work together with the business sector to create new lighting effects on both sides of Victoria Harbour. The light show held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre during Chinese New Year was one such attempt. We hope that more can be done by the end of this year, when a new sightseeing ferry service will be operating. Visitors will be able to enjoy the most spectacular night view in the world from the ferries or from either side of the harbour.
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