Hong Kong Chief Secretary for Administration Donald Tsang Sunday launched a month-long tourism promotion in Tokyo highlighting the best of Hong Kong's food, filmand music.
Tsang officiated at the launch of 'Hong Kong New Wave', an exhibition sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
Hong Kong and Japan have been a fascination for each other, Tsang said. One of the main things that appeals to Japanese visitors is Hong Kong's fusion of Eastern and Western cultures, "but our modern lifestyle and culture are equally admired. Three ofthe biggest attractions are our food, our music and our movies," he added.
Tsang encouraged more Japanese to visit Hong Kong, saying, "Christmas is just around the corner and the festive season is really a great time to visit Hong Kong."
Last year more than 1.3 million Japanese visited Hong Kong, making Japan the third-largest source of visitors after China's mainland and Taiwan. Reciprocally, about half a million Hong Kong people visited Japan.
Last year, Japanese tourists spent an average of 4,125 HK dollars (528 US dollars) per visit, and stayed an average of 2.3 nights. Japanese visitors come to Hong Kong for "green tourism" (hiking, bird and dolphin watching), shopping and dining, accordingto the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
(People's Daily November 25, 2002)
|
