The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, met with the Minister of Culture and Tourism, Mr Luo Shugang, in Beijing today (April 24) to exchange views on the latest situation of the tourism markets in Hong Kong and the Mainland, and to explore further strengthening the tourism co-operation between the two places.
Mr Yau updated Mr Luo on the latest tourism developments in Hong Kong. He expressed gratitude to the Ministry of Culture and Tourism for its continued strong support in the development of the tourism industry in Hong Kong, including the Ministry's presence in the Hong Kong International Tourism Convention last December, and its promotion on the tourism development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, as well as co-operation in regulating the tourism markets in the Mainland and Hong Kong.
The Outline Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area announced in February this year supports Hong Kong in developing into an international tourism hub and a core demonstration zone for multi-destination tourism, as well as a diverse tourism platform.
"Hong Kong, with its rich tourism resources and well-established transport infrastructure, can take up the role of the international travel hub of the Greater Bay Area, attracting more foreign visitors to travel to the region via Hong Kong and facilitating the overall tourism development in the region. To further strengthen our role as the tourism hub, we look forward to launching more facilitating immigration policies or measures for the travel trade of Hong Kong to help them open up business opportunities," Mr Yau said.
Mr Yau said that the Tourism Federation of Cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area was jointly established by the tourism authorities of Hong Kong and 10 other cities in the Greater Bay Area in December 2017 to strengthen the co-operation on tourism exchanges and promotion, as well as enhanced regulation amongst the cities concerned.
He added that he looks forward to joining hands with the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and other local culture and tourism authorities in the Mainland to promote the healthy and vibrant development of the tourism industry in the two places.
Mr Yau will attend the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region delegation tomorrow (April 25) and on April 26. He will join the opening ceremony and the high-level meetings. He will deliver remarks at the thematic forum on economic and trade cooperation zone promotion, and serve as the moderator and speak at the thematic forum on trade connectivity.
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