CE's speech at Festive Hong Kong Week opening ceremony in New Delhi (English only) (with video)

CE's speech at Festive Hong Kong Week opening ceremony in New Delhi (English only) (with video)
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Following is the speech by the Chief Executive, Mr Donald Tsang, at the opening ceremony of Festive Hong Kong Week organised by Hong Kong Tourism Board in New Delhi, India today (October 26):

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

     Good evening. It is a great pleasure to be here in New Delhi.

     I am also delighted to welcome our friends from the Indian travel industry to this special event.

     In Hong Kong, just like here in India, local festivals are an important part of the cultural fabric.

     India is famous around the world for its colourful and vibrant festivities throughout the year. They unite the community, draw huge numbers of overseas visitors and bring joy to people's lives.

     My only slight regret about the timing of my visit is that I won't be able to extend my stay to enjoy Diwali with you here next month.

     Nevertheless, I am sure our large Indian community in Hong Kong will be celebrating the Festival of Lights with a great deal of enthusiasm as always.

     Part of the joy of Hong Kong's cultural diversity is that our Chinese traditions and Western heritage seamlessly blend together to create a unique mix that is best represented by our wide spectrum of festivals and celebrations.

     As well as Diwali, Hong Kong people mark Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter and Ramadan among other important international dates. The young, and also perhaps not so young, members of our community are gearing up for Halloween on Sunday.

     We also celebrate a full range of Chinese festivals including Mid-Autumn Festival, Dragon Boat Festival and of course, Lunar New Year. All this, together with local favourites such as the world-famous Bun Festival, makes for a busy festival calendar.

     "Festive Hong Kong Week" is about bringing the excitement of Hong Kong's fabulous scenes of festivities to people around the world, including here in India.

     Over the past ten years, India's outbound tourism has been growing at an amazing pace.  Last year, Hong Kong received over 360,000 Indian visitors, and the figure for the first nine months of this year alone has already surpassed that number.

     Hong Kong is known for its shopping and nightlife as well as being a very safe and cosmopolitan place.

     We welcome some 30 million visitors each year, which is more than four times our city's population of 7 million.

     To attract more visitors, we have made "Festive Hong Kong" the main theme of our tourism promotion this year.

     I'm sure this will appeal to tourists from India.

     Although I have been in India for less than 24 hours, it does not take long to discover that two of this country's favourite institutions are food and cricket.

     So I should mention that, for those with a special culinary interest, our Wine and Dine Festival opens on Thursday and runs until October 31. It kicks off our "Wine and Dine Month" and is a great chance to sample great food and fine wine with our famous cityscape providing a spectacular backdrop to the event.

     The following weekend will see Hong Kong stage the International Cricket Sixes which has been running since 1992. The tournament is always popular with our Indian community and your country's team has enjoyed a good deal of success over the years.

     There really is something for everyone in Hong Kong, which is why we like to call our city, Asia's world city.

     Festivals aside, Hong Kong is a very popular destination for families. Our two flagship theme parks, Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland are true children magnets that offer fun-filled experiences for the young and the young-at-heart.

     Both Parks are now undergoing expansion to bring in new attractions to meet demand.

     If you prefer, you can also mix business with pleasure by attending some of our many international conferences, conventions and exhibitions each year. There is no better way for the international business community to connect with counterparts from Mainland China.

     Ladies and gentlemen, with frequent direct flights, visa-free travel for Indian visitors and a shared passion for food, sport and festivals, I am fully confident that tourism links between Hong Kong and India will continue to go from strength to strength.

     Thank you very much.

Ends/Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Issued at HKT 22:05

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