[Budget]Govt to pour additional HK$243m for tourism sector

    The Financial Secretary Chan Mo-po, Paul said in the 2017-18 Budget Speech that the Government will support the tourism industry by allocating an additional sum of HK$243 million in 2017-18.
  The funds will be used for supporting light shows, home-grown mega events and continuation of efforts to attract more small-and-medium-sized MICE events to Hong Kong; promoting further the diversification of tourism products by inviting the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to provide funding support to activity organisers and the tourism sector for the launch of tourism projects with local characteristics and green tourism products respectively, with a view to encouraging the development of a greater variety of tourism products to attract more visitors to Hong Kong; stepping up efforts to attract more high-spending visitors by implementing a scheme targeting transit passengers and overnight visitors in Hong Kong through the HKTB. The Government will work with local airlines, tourist attractions, hotels and the tourism sector to provide promotional offers to transit passengers or overnight visitors.  Besides, the Government will provide funding support for the trade to promote cruise tourism. Such efforts include continuing to promote "fly-cruise" tours and collaborating with cruise lines to develop more source markets and products for cruise tourism; enhancing Hong Kong's appeal as a tourist destination. Through the HKTB, the Government will continue its publicity in the Mainland to promote the quality and honest image of Hong Kong's tourism and strengthen efforts to publicise in overseas markets the mega events to be held in Hong Kong this year, so as to attract more Mainland and overseas visitors to Hong Kong; and providing funding support for the training of members of the tourism industry through the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong to enhance service quality of the industry, and continue to implement the matching fund for promoting tourist attractions as well as waive local traders' participation fees for overseas promotional fairs.