Policy Address

Tourism

15.         In the field of tourism, we are actively discussing with the Central Authorities measures to facilitate Mainland visitors travelling to Hong Kong. In April this year, the Mainland authorities introduced a one-year multiple-entry Individual Visit Scheme endorsement for Shenzhen residents to visit Hong Kong. The new arrangement has been well received. By end-September, about 740 000 visitors had travelled to Hong Kong with the new endorsement.

16.        In view of the great potential of the cruise industry in the Asia-Pacific region, we are pressing ahead with the construction of the new cruise terminal at Kai Tak to ensure that the first berth will commence operation in mid-2013. At the same time, we are striving to attract cruise vessels to homeport here. Since the implementation of the measure to allow Mainland tour groups to travel to Taiwan through Hong Kong by taking cruise vessels homeporting here, many major cruise operators have launched relevant tourism products. In the coming year, there will be about 20 journeys from Hong Kong to Taiwan, carrying about 30 000 passengers in total.

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