Attracting More Mainland Visitors

79. Tourism is one of the major pillars of our economy. It will contribute to our successful economic restructuring. Currently we are developing new tourist attractions. In addition to Disneyland, we will implement as quickly as possible five medium to long-term tourism initiatives on Lantau Island, in Sai Kung, Central, West Kowloon and Aberdeen. Coupled with hotels and other facilities, these projects will create many new jobs and investment opportunities.

80. The large number of increasingly affluent Mainland residents constitutes an important source of visitors yet to be fully tapped by our tourism industry. Mainland travellers now account for about 30% of the total number of inbound visitors. Today, I would like to announce that the Government has reached an agreement with the National Tourism Administration for the abolition of the quota system for the Hong Kong Group Tour Scheme with effect from January 2002. Initiatives will be taken to increase the number of Mainland travel agencies organising tours to Hong Kong. Our target is to allow all Mainland agencies organising outbound tours for Mainland residents to arrange Hong Kong Group Tours.

81. As the Mainland and Hong Kong develop closer economic ties, more businessmen are travelling between the two places. To further facilitate visits to Hong Kong, the Mainland's public security authorities have agreed to extend the validity period for multi-entry business visas from the present six months to a maximum of three years, with each duration of stay extended to 14 days. This measure not only meets the needs of our economic development, but also helps promote our tourism and retail industries.