HONG KONG TOURIST ASSOCIATION WELCOMES 2001 FORTUNE GLOBAL FORUM

The Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) has welcomed the announcement of Hong Kong as host city for the prestigious 2001 Fortune Global Forum scheduled from 8-10 May.

Chief Executive Officers’ and top government officials from around the world will gather to discuss and debate key issues facing multinational corporations with leading members of Hong Kong’s business community, with a special focus on Asia.

“Hong Kong will be the perfect setting for heads of major international companies to talk about how quickly business is changing in Asia,” said Fortune Managing Editor, John Huey. “With Next Generation Asia as the theme, we’ll focus not only on the leaders driving Asia into the next century, but also the styles and emerging trends shaping business in the Pacific Rim. The Global Forum will provide a unique interactive setting for the world’s most important business leaders – including CEOs of the world’s largest corporations and the hottest dot-coms – to talk face-to-face about these issues.”

Announcing details of the Forum, Director-General of Investment Promotion, Mike Rowse, stated that Hong Kong, as the Events Capital of Asia, was a prime example of a free economy that has benefited the most from globalisation in the past 15 years and will provide the ideal backdrop for this prestigious international event.

Hong Kong for many years has been ranked as the world’s freest economy, a proud record we intend to maintain,” he added.

Mr Rowse also noted that as China prepares to become a member of the World Trade Organisation and its markets open up for more competition, Hong Kong is the place where new business opportunities can be found.

The Chief Secretary for Administration, Mrs Anson Chan, was also present as a witness to the signing of a certificate between Invest Hong Kong and Fortune magazine, in recognition of the selection of Hong Kong as the location for the Forum.

HKTA Acting Executive Director, Grace Lee, confirmed the Association’s support for the Forum and said: “World-class facilities, services and innovative ideas make Hong Kong a top destination for conventions, exhibitions and incentives. The Fortune Global Forum indeed confirms Hong Kong’s pre-eminent position in the region with regards to this lucrative international market.”

Major sponsors of the 2001 FORTUNE Global Forum are Authur Andersen, Bank of China, British Telecommunications PLC (BT), Dell Computer Corporation, Goldman Sachs and Nortel Networks. Invest Hong Kong is the host sponsor and Cathay Pacific Airways the official airline for the event.

In 2001 Hong Kong will also host the International World Wide Web Conference 1-5 May, the International Hospital Federation 2001 Congress 15-18 May, the World Newspaper Congress/World Editors Forum Conference Info Services Expo 2001 3-6 June, and the World Services Congress Global Services Forum 2001 20-21 September.