HONG KONG NAMED ‘BEST TOURIST AND CONVENTION BOARD’ IN 8TH ANNUAL WORLD TRAVEL AWARDS

The Hong Kong Tourism Board took top honours today (10 April 2001) in the 8th Annual World Travel Awards in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was named the Asia/Pacific’s Leading Tourist and Convention Board for the third year running.

These awards, held in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of the Pacific Asia Travel Association Conference, were established in 1993 to acknowledge, reward and celebrate the enormous achievements to be found in all sectors of the global travel industry.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board’s General Manager Marketing Communications Mr Tony Tse said that voting for these awards is cast by travel agents in more than 200 countries around the world. “The award is a clear indication that we are building on an established track record for our progressive approach to industry relationships and product training,” he said. “We are providing travel agents with all the necessary direction on how to sell Hong Kong successfully and to make it stand out from competitors.”

Over the past few months the Hong Kong Tourism Board has been recognised for a number of exceptional achievements at a variety of global travel and tourism industry events.

In February, the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s Convention and Exhibition Bureau (HKCEB) took two prizes at the 2001 Meetings & Incentive Travel Industry Awards in London. At a gala event at the London Hilton on Park Lane, the HKCEB was awarded “Best Overseas Convention Bureau” in the Meetings category against Europe’s Amsterdam Convention Bureau and Monaco Government Tourist and Convention Authority.

It was also named “Best Convention Bureau” in the Incentives category against the London Convention Bureau and Birmingham Convention & Visitor Bureau.

Organised by travel trade publication Meetings & Incentive Travel, this annual event was established in 1988 to bring together the various sectors of the meetings industry to measure market reaction in rewarding service and product excellence. Hong Kong has been a regular winner since 1989.

Senior Manager Ms Mabel Hung said that the Hong Kong Tourism Board was honoured to receive the awards. “The HKCEB is an important arm of the Hong Kong Tourism Board and is very focused on ensuring Hong Kong remains ‘top of mind’ with organisers of meetings, exhibitions and incentive travel, regardless of the size or scope,” she said. This year the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre was the winner in the “Best Overseas Centre” in the Meetings category.

Nowadays, when it comes to short-listing potential destinations for clients, meetings and incentive planners are very much in the position to demand the highest level of professionalism, Ms Hung said. “In Hong Kong, we understand the countless factors involved in the evaluation process. We know that planners look for the expertise and experience that will ensure the success of their events,” she added.

Also in February the organisation’s new video, Colours of Life, scooped the Grand Prix Award at the 4th International Tourfilm Festival in Bratislava, Slovakia and a month later the Golden Compass Award for Best Tourism Advertising Film at ITB 2001 in Berlin. The video uses five different colour segments to depict the elements of Hong Kong, each a human-interest story highlighting the internationalism, energy and contrasts of the City of Life.



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NOTE

The Hong Kong Tourism Board was formerly known as the Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA). The change took effect from 1 April 2001 and reflects a change to the tourism body’s constitutional structure. Its primary responsibilities for marketing and promoting Hong Kong as a destination worldwide, and for providing visitors with assistance when they arrive, remain unchanged.