A wide selection of exciting activities and events will be on offer to visitors and residents next month as part of the City of Life: Hong Kong is it! campaign's "Recommendation of the Month - Islands".
Details of events and activities throughout Islands month were announced at a ceremony held by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) today (26 April) at Po Lin Monastery,
Lantau.
Attending the ceremony were HKTB Executive Director, Ms Clara Chong; Islands District Council Chairman, Mr Lam Wai-keung, BBS, JP; District Officer (Islands), Mr Patrick Chan Nim-tak, JP; and Assistant Commissioner for Tourism, Mrs Winifred Chung.
To mark the occasion, the doors of the Main Hall of Po Lin Monastery were ceremonially opened to reveal the "Lung Chong" Buddhist scriptures, part of one of the last sets produced in 1735, during the early Qing Dynasty. A group of young Shaolin monks then gave a display of Chinese martial arts.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ms Chong said that Hong Kong possessed both a cosmopolitan atmosphere and green resources. "The City of Life boasts more than 260 scenic islands, as well as nearly 40% of land conserved in country parks, all easily accessible within an hour," she said. "By repackaging and promoting these strengths and advantages, we are encouraging more travel to
Hong Kong."
Ms Chong said that green tours were ideal activities for families. "Family travel is becoming an important segment in our major markets. In addition, today's travellers tend to select destinations that can enrich their experiences. We therefore need to have a diverse range of quality attractions with educational value," she said.
"Hong Kong has one of the best transport networks in the world, making it easy for visitors to travel around our picturesque islands. The world-renowned Tsing Ma and Ting Kau bridges linking Lantau Island with Kowloon have significantly increased the island's tourism development potential. Other outlying islands such as Lamma and Cheung Chau are equally accessible by frequent and excellent ferry services."
Islands District Council Chairman Mr Lam Wai-keung said that with the setting-up by the Islands District Council of the Islands District Tourism Promotion Organising Committee, a series of tourism promotion activities titled "Islands' Glamour" would be launched in May showcasing the district's landscapes, traditions, customs and local culture to local and overseas visitors. "We hope that after joining our activities, visitors will be left with a good impression and unforgettable memories of Islands District," he said. "We also hope that these activities can stimulate business in different sectors of our district, as well as the economy of Hong Kong."
Islands District Officer Mr Patrick Chan added that as part of the "Islands' Glamour" promotional programme, different areas of the district would be organising their own activities during the month. These included an opening carnival and an Antiquities Museum pilot exhibition in Tung Chung and a traditional fishing village wedding ceremony at Tai O on Lantau and a food promotion and dragon boat races and sampan races off
Lamma.
"In addition to these special activities, it happens that two traditional festivals, the Buddha Festival and the Cheung Chau Bun Festival, will be held on separate Sundays during May," he noted. "We hope that these activities and festivals will attract more visitors, local and overseas, to come and explore the landscapes and customs of the islands. In this way, we aim to do what we can to contribute to the overall development of Hong Kong tourism."
Chosen as the main featured attraction for the month-long promotion by the Islands District Council and the Islands District Office, Po Lin Monastery is also the major venue for celebrating the Buddha Festival, which falls on the eighth day of the fourth month of the Lunar Calendar (19 May this year). A bathing ceremony takes place in the monastery each year to commemorate the Buddha's birth by paying respects to and chanting the eulogy of Buddha.
To tie in with the "Recommendation of the Month", this year's Buddha Festival celebrations have been extended to the week leading up to festival day. The opening ceremony on 12 May will feature martial arts performances by eight young Shaolin monks, Cantonese opera and performances by celebrities.
Two important collections belonging to the Po Lin Monastery - the "Lung Chong" Buddhist scriptures and two relics associated with the Buddha - will be on public exhibit in the Main Hall for the festival. This will be the first public display of the 7,173 booklets of the "Lung Chong" kept by the monastery. In addition, daily martial arts performances by Shaolin monks can also be observed during the period.
Other events include the Islands Tourism Month Opening Carnival on 1 May in Tung Chung Crescent, opposite Citygate in Tung Chung. Highlights of the carnival are dragon and lion dances; traditional Chinese singing, dancing and musical performances; arts and crafts demonstrations and food stalls. Admission is free.
A wide range of activities and programmes will take place on other outlying islands. These include the Lamma Tin Hau Festival celebrations on 5 May, featuring Cantonese opera and dragon boat and sampan races.
Already a major annual event, the Cheung Chau Bun Festival also falls in May this year. The highlight of the week-long festival is a procession on 19 May in which elaborately dressed children perform seemingly impossible acts of balancing, appearing to "float" above spectators' heads. The procession begins and ends at Pak Tai Temple on Cheung
Chau.
Scheduled to take place near the Tai Chung footbridge on 26 May, the Tai O Water Folk Festival features a re-enactment of the centuries old wedding ceremonies practised by the villagers of Tai O, an old fishing village on Lantau. To the sound of clamorous music, relatives and friends of the wedding couple travel down the river on decorated boats as they perform each ritual, from presenting wedding gifts to carrying off the bride and thanking the parents.
Since September 2001, each of Hong Kong's 18 districts has been taking its turn to promote its attractions as the "Recommendation of the Month", part of the City of Life: Hong Kong is it! campaign.
The campaign is organised by the HKTB in co-operation with the Hong Kong SAR Government's Home Affairs Department, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Tourism Commission, with the support of the 18 District Councils and with The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust as Principal Sponsor. |
