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Representatives of employers' associations, trade unions and professional bodies today (May 17) had a good opportunity to exchange views on matters of common concern at the first meeting of the Tripartite Committee for Hotel and Tourism Industry held by the Labour Department.

Welcoming participants at the meeting, the Commissioner for Labour, Mr Matthew Cheung Kin-chung, said that this was the seventh industry-specific committee set up by the Department to promote tripartite communication amongst employer groups, employee organisations and the government on employment matters.

"Such Committees provide useful forums for employers and employees to discuss and agree on the industry's common issues. They also help promote harmonious labour relations," he said.

"No doubt this new Tripartite Committee for the Hotel and Tourism Industry will help forge better understanding among the industry's employers and employees as well as the Government," he added.

Mr Cheung said the number of people employed in the hotel and tourism industry, which stood at 48,000 last December, had been increasing with recovery of the economies in South East Asia.

According to the Hong Kong Tourist Association, the expected growth in the number of visitors' arrivals would be 6.8 percent this year and 6.3 percent in 2001.

"With the gradual completion of major sightseeing spots in Hong Kong in the coming years, such as the Disneyland, a surge in the demand for quality hotels and service providers would only be natural," he noted.

"The new tripartite committee will also enable the Department to keep abreast of the needs and development of the industry in order to help them develop good people management strategies," Mr Cheung said.

Among those present at the meeting were representatives of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Hotels Association and the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners Limited from the employers' side as well as the Hotel, Food and Beverage Employees Association, Hong Kong and Kowloon European Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union and Hong Kong Tourist Industry Employees General Union from the employees' side. A representative of the Hotel and Catering International Management Association also attended the meeting.

The other six tripartite committees already set up by the Labour Department cover the industries of construction, catering, theatre, warehouse and cargo transport, property management and printing. The number of employees in these industries are 76,000, 188,000, 3,000, 81,000, 210,000 and 4,400 respectively.

Mr Cheung said that feedback from Committee members was encouraging and the Department would continue to set up similar committees for other major industries.

End/Wednesday, May 17, 2000

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