Tourism, as one of the four key industries in Hong Kong, is in fact feeding 8% of the population and adding 42,700 million dollars to Hong Kong in 2005 alone. To echo with the UN's Agenda 21 in developing sustainable tourism, BEC established the Sustainable Tourism Task Force in 2002, and later restructured it as the Coalition on Sustainable Tourism (CoST) to include a wider representation from tourism industry practitioners, NGOs, academics and government officials.
As defined by WTO's Guide for Local Authorities on sustainable Tourism Development, sustainable tourism development meets the needs of the present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing the opportunity for the future.
Hong Kong has every reason to further develop sustainable tourism with its subtropical climate suitable for visitors all year round and over 80% of woodland, grassland, mangrove and swamps area. About 40% of our land is hill-side country park nourishing over 2,000 species of plants, over 450 kinds of birds from local habitat, migrated from elsewhere, winter or summer visitors and more. We are home to over 230 kinds of butterflies, over 100 types of dragonflies and 20 kinds of globally endangered animals.
Recently, BEC and CoST co-developedHong Kong's Great Outdoors Guide-Mapto promote Hong Kong as a city far more than simply a metropolis. In the guide-map, more than 50 nature and cultural destinations are highlighted. This is the first guide-map of its kind in Hong Kong to introduce Hong Kong natural beauty and rich cultual heritage to a much wider audience who are interested in green discovery.
Previously CoST proactively gathered efforts from industry leaders and operators to help rebuild the devastated Tsunami places by changing the very negative perception of the media and the public. The media was urged to stop their negative coverage. The public was urged to revisit the Tsunami areas to help those local people to regain their livelihood dependent on tourism activities. Trips were arranged to visit those places to correct misconceptions and show how hard the affected people wish to make their country a tourist pick again. One of the most direct and sustainable way to provide relief nd assistance is to help their economy recover by paying them a visit.
You are most welcome to join the CoST if you care about Hong Kong's sustainable regardless of your background. Feel free to contact Dr Andrew Thomson (T. +852 2784-3934) or Josephine Wong (T. +852 2784-3948) if you are interested or wish to find out more.