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Following is a written reply by the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Gregory So, to a question by the Hon Paul Tse in the Legislative Council today (October 26):
Question:
Regarding the Kai Tak cruise terminal project, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) from the perspective of tourism development, what transport networks and infrastructures will be provided by the SAR Government to connect the Kai Tak cruise terminal with its neighbouring areas (e.g. the Wong Tai Sin Temple, the Chi Lin Nunnery in Diamond Hill, the harbourfront promenade in Kwun Tong, as well as restaurants in Lei Yue Mun and Kowloon City, etc.), so as to maximise the economic benefits brought to the neighbouring areas by the development of the cruise terminal;
(b) whether it will draw reference from the history of development of Tsim Sha Tsui with the Ocean Terminal complementing various transport networks and tourist attractions such as the former Kowloon-Canton Railway Terminus, the Star Ferry, the Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the Hong Kong Space Museum, the Peninsula Hotel and the harbourfront promenade, etc. so as to make use of the cruise terminal project to develop East Kowloon into a new major tourism area and a transit point for tourists; if it will, of the details of the plans; if not, the reasons for that; and
(c) what policies and measures are in place to make use of the cruise terminal project to tie in with the proposal in the 2011-2012 Policy Address to enhancing connectivity within East Kowloon by an elevated rail-based link and "kick-starting the development of East Kowloon", so as to foster the renewal and development of the entire East Kowloon on the one hand to greatly improve the district's economic conditions and employment situation, and strengthen the tourism industry of Hong Kong on the other hand?
Reply:
President,
My reply to the three-part question is set out below.
(a) Kai Tak Development (KTD) is a mega-scale development project spanning a total planning area of over 320 hectares, covering the ex-airport site and the adjoining hinterland districts. The new cruise terminal is part of the KTD project. To tie in with the commissioning of the first berth of the new cruise terminal, the Government will provide in mid-2013 a two-lane single carriageway to connect the cruise terminal with Cheung Yip Street at Kowloon Bay. In addition to the existing major trunk roads (including Kai Tak Tunnel and Kwun Tong Bypass), the planned Route 6 (including the Central Kowloon Route with direct road connections at the KTD area) will provide a route linking West Kowloon with East Kowloon. The proposed Shatin-to-Central Link (SCL) will also provide fast and reliable railway service for the KTD area.
Moreover, the Government has commissioned a consultancy study on the feasibility of an environmentally friendly linkage system (EFLS) for Kai Tak. Initial findings recommended that the EFLS should cover the KTD area with connections to Kowloon Bay Station and Kwun Tong Station of the Mass Transit Railway as well as Kai Tak Station of the future SCL. Given its high construction cost and wide-ranging implications, the Government plans to consult the public on the EFLS in early 2012.
Upon the phased completion of the planned transport network and infrastructure, the new cruise terminal and the neighbouring districts will be more closely connected, and the economic benefits will be enhanced.
(b) Today's Tsim Sha Tsui was developed in the course of history and upon the needs of Hong Kong's development at different times. The development of Kai Tak takes a different approach. The KTD area is an integrated development with a mix of community, housing, business, tourism and infrastructural uses. The phased completion of the various projects in the KTD will complement the facilities of the new cruise terminal and foster tourism development in the neighbouring districts and Hong Kong as a whole.
(c) The transport network and infrastructure (including the EFLS which will shortly be put to the public for consultation) as mentioned in part (a) can enhance the connectivity of the new cruise terminal with the neighbouring districts, and coupled with the phased completion of various projects in the KTD area, the tourism and economic benefits for the cruise terminal as well as the neighbouring districts will be boosted.
Vice-Premier Mr Li Keqiang announced during his visit to Hong Kong that escalated efforts would be put in to support the development of Hong Kong as a homeport for cruise tourism. This ties in with the commissioning of the new cruise terminal in mid-2013 in further enhancing the development of our cruise tourism. Leveraging on the completion of the new cruise terminal, we will continue to co-operate closely with the major cruise companies and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to attract the deployment of more cruise vessels to Hong Kong. We will allocate more resources to the HKTB to strengthen its co-operation with cruise lines in promoting the cruise market in Hong Kong, and to lengthen the stay of cruise liners and tourists in Hong Kong through collaborative efforts with the travel trade in developing more diversified shore excursion programmes. We will also continue to strengthen the co-operation with nearby ports to enhance the potential of the regional cruise market.
Ends/Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Issued at HKT 12:23
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