14 Dec 2006 News Clip: 駐港旅遊局代表協會成立

  • Post category:ANTOR

EDT3 South China Morning Post VIVIENNE CHOW 2006-12-14

Foreign travel boards urge access to statistics

Representatives of foreign tourism boards in Hong Kong have urged the government to provide statistics on local citizens’ travel destinations to help them better promote tourism in their various countries.

But the Immigration Department said their request was difficult to grant because it did not keep track of local citizens’ movements around the world.

Speaking at the launch of the Association of National Tourist Office Representatives in Hong Kong, the body’s chairwoman, Casey Liu Pui-kam, said there had been a lack of such statistics since the launch of e-channels, with machines to read the identity cards and scan the fingerprints of Hong Kong residents crossing the city’s borders.

The Immigration Department used to have such statistics. We need such statistics and we have raised the issue with the Hong Kong Tourism Board as well, Ms Liu said. We are also asking the Airport Authority whether such statistics would be available. But providing such information on residents’ travel destinations could be difficult, said the Immigration Department.

Departure statistics are meant to be for reference. Even before the launch of e-channels, citizens had a choice not to tell our counter officers where they were going, a spokesman said.

The Immigration Department does not keep a record of local citizens’ movements around the world. Hong Kong people are granted the freedom to travel. Plus, they might change flights on arrival at their first destination.

Ronnie Ho Pak-ting, chairman of the Hong Kong Travel Industry Council, said pooling foreign tourism offices’ research material could benefit the local travel industry by enabling agents to formulate better strategies for organising tours for local travellers.

Meanwhile, Mr Ho said the number of people going abroad this Christmas looked to be higher than last year.
He said a double-digit year-on-year increase was expected, with expensive tour packages the earliest to be filled. He said Japan and Thailand remained the most popular destinations, while more distant destinations such as South Africa and even Antarctica were also doing extremely well this year.


P02 China Daily Hong Kong Edition 2006-12-14

New tourist association

The Association of National Tourist Office Representatives in Hong Kong was set up at the Hong Kong Bankers Club yesterday.

The association’s founding members are tourist organizations of 17 nations and regions: Australia, Britain, Finland, France, Germany, Guam, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Macao, Malaysia, the Maldives, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland and Thailand.


港聞 A20 Oriental Daily News 2006-12-14 外遊增港6200萬人次出境

【本報訊】經濟好轉令市民外遊意欲持續增加,今年一至十月出境人次已達六千二百多萬,十七間不同地區駐港旅遊局最近組成了一個代表協會,致力向市民推廣各個景點。

駐港旅遊局代表協會早於今年七月成立,協會昨日舉行成立儀式,澳門、新加坡、韓國、印尼以及瑞士等地的駐港旅遊局代表均有出席儀式。

該會主席廖佩琴表示,協會將定期進行會議,促進會員在出境遊推廣工作方面的交流。

她說,成立協會有助他們與政府、旅行社及航空公司反映意見,市民遇問題也可與會方聯絡,由他們轉介至合適的旅遊局跟進。協會網址www.antor.org.hk 。

據旅發局統計資料,○五年港人離境數字為七千二百多萬人次,今年首十個月已有六千二百多萬人次,較去年同期增百分之四點七。


香港新聞 B02 Hong Kong Commercial Daily 2006-12-14

聖誕新年外遊雙位數增

【商報專訊】記者何詩勵報道:為向港人提供健康及優質旅遊,杜絕「零團費」的惡性競爭,17個駐港旅遊局成立代表協會,打造平台優化各旅遊目的地於本港的宣傳工作。香港旅遊業議會主席何柏霆昨天表示,隨着本港經濟復蘇,港人旅遊心態改善,今年聖誕新年假期港人外遊人數,錄得雙位數字的增長。

17 駐港旅遊局成立代 表協會

駐港旅遊局代表主席廖佩琴表示,近年「零團費」令本港旅遊業大受影響,亦不是健康做法,駐港旅遊局代表協會籌備成立工作約18個月,目的是為了建立正式渠道及平台,促進各旅遊局及業界在出境旅遊推廣事務上的交流和溝通,旅客亦可透過協會向當地政府反映意見,加上各局的相互合作與配合,優化各旅行目的地在本港的宣傳工作,提高本港及外地旅遊的質素。現時加入協會的國家共有17個,廖佩琴希望會有更多的駐港旅遊局加入。

豪華旅行團早已滿額

香港旅遊業議會主席何柏霆指出,今年聖誕新年假期港人外遊人數,較去年錄得雙位數字的增長,主要是本港經濟復蘇,港人旅遊心態得以改善,不少團費較貴的旅行團早已滿額,中短程的日本及泰國,至較遠程的南美及南極團,銷情亦相當理想。何柏霆續稱,東南亞團的情況年中開始已逐漸回復南亞海嘯前的水平。

至於「零團費」衍生的問題,他指導遊與旅行社之間的糾紛,議會會視乎個案的性質盡量協助;不過,他亦擔心旅行社會因杜絕「零團費」而面臨倒閉,故會留意市場情況及發展。


A07 Wen Wei Po 2006-12-14 聖誕外遊熱 南美南極團爆滿   【本報訊】(記者 陳美琪)香港旅遊業議會主席何剠霆預計,今年聖誕節本港外出旅遊人士的數字將有雙位數增長,主要是由於經濟復甦,市民旅遊心態改善,其中較遠的南美及南極團早已滿額,中短程的泰國及日本團,銷情亦不俗。何剠霆說,年中以來,南亞團的業務,已回復到04年南亞大海嘯前的水平。

駐港旅遊代表協會昨酒會

另外,於今年7月成立的駐港旅遊代表協會,昨舉行成立酒會。協會主席廖佩琴表示,協會提供平台讓業內人士作溝通,亦可為遊客帶來更豐富、更新鮮的旅遊資訊,業界均表示歡迎。廖還透露,協會將建議入境處重新紀錄港人離境後目的地,以作統計用途。

協會由17個國家或地區旅遊局駐港代表所組成,包括:澳洲、英國、芬蘭、法國、德國、關島、澳門特別行政區、香港特別行政區、印尼、韓國、馬來西亞、馬爾代夫、新西蘭、新加坡、瑞士、菲律賓及泰國。


A08 Ta Kung Pao 2006-12-14

聖誕新年南美南極團爆滿

【本報訊】旅遊業議會主席何柏霆昨日表示,由於經濟復甦,令到旅遊心態向好,預計今年聖誕新年假期出團的人數,較去年錄得雙位數字的增幅,當中不少較遠和較貴的南美及南極團都預早滿額,中短程的泰國及日本團,銷情亦不俗。他說,零團費引發的問題,是導遊及旅行社的業務糾紛,議會會盡力協助。

何柏霆昨午出席「駐港旅遊局代表協會」成立酒會時說,目前雖未有今年聖誕及新年假期出團的確實數字,但預計會有雙位數字增長,因今年經濟好轉,旅遊心態亦向好,而且好多較早滿額的團都是團費較貴的南美及南極團,另外,日本、泰國等中短線團的生意亦不錯。他又說,由本年中以來,南亞團的業務,已回復到○四年南亞大海嘯前的水平。

對於零團費引發的各種問題,何柏霆說,議會會先了解有關問題,但若只是導遊和旅行社的業務糾紛或合約等問題,議員則難以介入幫助。他表示議會會盡力協助。

何柏霆擔心聖誕新年過後會有更多小型旅行社倒閉,令更多導遊失業。他重申,議會會密切留意市場情況。


駐港旅遊局代表協會成立