The Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Edward Yau, visited Yuen Long District today (December 3) and met with members of the Yuen Long District Council (YLDC) to gain a better understanding of the district's latest developments and needs. He also called at a social enterprise and the Act Plus Animation School.
Mr Yau first met with YLDC members to exchange views on developments and issues of concern in the district, including matters relating to telecommunications, tourism development, trade, same-district employment and youth entrepreneurship.
Mr Yau then departed for the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals BiciLine Cycling Eco-Tourism Social Enterprise to meet with its young tour guides in Kam Tin to get to know their experiences in organising guided cycling eco-tours. Established in 2008, BiciLine is a green social enterprise which aims at recruiting and training youngsters in the Yuen Long area and Tin Shui Wai to become tour guides, taking its customers around different ecological features and major historical relics.
Mr Yau said the Government attaches great importance to the development of tourism and promoting the sustainable development of green tourism has always been one of the focuses. The Government released the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong's Tourism Industry in October last year. One of the strategies is to nurture and develop tourism products and initiatives with local and international characteristics, which in turn includes promoting green tourism. Leveraging Hong Kong's ecological richness and diversity, the Tourism Commission has been promoting green tourism in the northeast New Territories and outlying islands, having regard to the principles of nature conservation and sustainable development.
Before concluding his district visit, Mr Yau proceeded to the Kam Tin Youth Centre, where he was briefed on the vocational training programme Act Plus Animation School set up by the Act Plus Education Foundation Limited for youngsters. He also learnt about the computer animation courses provided by the programme and watched a demonstration by students.
The programme has nurtured several thousand students in the past decade and helped more than 200 students to develop their careers as computer animators or multimedia artists. Mr Yau said he was pleased to note that it helps nurture young creative talents for creative industries in Hong Kong.
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