HKTB welcomes Government's Commitment to Enhanced Service Quality

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has warmly welcomed the strong emphasis placed by Chief Executive Tung Chee Hwa on enhancing visitor confidence in spending in his Policy Address today. HKTB Chairman The Hon Mrs Selina Chow said the measures proposed for the tourism sector would help strengthen the quality of services and consumer protection offered to visitors and enhance their overall experience of the destination.

“Our surveys show that nearly 90% of our overnight visitors spend time shopping during their stay, so being able to enjoy reliable, quality services is a crucial part of their experience,” she explained. “It helps ensure that they leave Hong Kong with favourable impressions and pass on positive messages to friends and relatives.”

The HKTB said it is especially pleased to learn that the Government will facilitate extension of the Quality Tourism Services (QTS) scheme to other tourism-related trades. The HKTB launched QTS in the retail and catering sectors in 1999 and promotes the scheme extensively worldwide, encouraging visitors to patronise QTS-accredited merchants. With the scheme steadily gaining increased visitor recognition, more and more merchants are appreciating the value of carrying the QTS decal. There are now over 5,100 accredited outlets, a 50% increase in the past 12 months.

“Our priority sector for expanding QTS is shopping malls and we are already in discussion with the representative bodies involved,” Mrs Chow said. “We are also exploring the possibility of extending the benefits of QTS to other tourism-related sectors and will continue to work closely with the Government and the Travel Industry Council on the ‘No Fakes Pledge’ and the 100% refund guarantee scheme, so as to cement Hong Kong’s image for quality merchandise and services.”

Mrs Chow added that the Chief Executive’s announcement of plans to extend pedestrianisation schemes in two major shopping and entertainment districts, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui, would also be warmly welcomed by visitors and would help enhance their shopping and dining experience.

“During 2005 we will see Hong Kong Disneyland and Hong Kong Wetland Park coming into operation,” she said. “These and other upcoming new tourism infrastructure projects will further increase Hong Kong’s destination appeal. But to strengthen our competitive position, it’s important that at the same time as providing new hardware, we ensure that the software is constantly upgraded. The measures announced by the Chief Executive will help our tourism industry do that.”

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