The Government will launch a range of measures to reduce the tourism industry’s operation costs and boost Hong Kong’s attractiveness to visitors.
Delivering his 2016-17 Budget today, Financial Secretary John Tsang said the tourism industry must move towards diversified and quality-driven high value-added services to attract more high-spending overnight visitors to Hong Kong.
Licence fees for travel agents, hotels, guesthouses, restaurants and hawkers will be waived for one year, costing $140 million.
In the medium term, Mr Tsang will allocate $240 million on five fronts to boost Hong Kong’s attractiveness.
The scale of major events will be boosted this year, including holding the Formula E Championship for the first time in Hong Kong, while promotion efforts on Hong Kong’s natural scenery, history and culture will be continued.
The Government will subsidise small and medium travel agents to make use of information technology to boost the industry’s competitiveness, and will help it to open up new visitor sources.
The Tourism Board will repackage Hong Kong’s tourism image with new promotional videos, launch a new round of promotions for short‑haul markets, and step up publicity on the Mainland for quality and honest tours.
In the long term, tourism infrastructure will be upgraded, including a new themed area and a new hotel at Hong Kong Disneyland, and a new hotel and Water World at Ocean Park.
The Government will continue to prepare tourism projects in Kai Tak and on Lantau Island. Design work for conference facilities above the proposed Sha Tin to Central Link Exhibition Station is also underway.
Mr Tsang said the food truck pilot scheme has attracted wide interest from the community, adding he will increase the number of designated spaces for the food trucks to 16, to enhance tourist attractions and enrich the local food culture.
