Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) plans to put 440 million HK dollars (US$56,4 million) for tourism promotion in the coming two years.

Targeting 16 world major tourism sourcing markets, the HKTB prepares to introduce several large-sized new tourism projects and 2006 Hong Kong tourism year to overseas tourists.

To welcome more commercial and family tourists to Hong Kong, the HKTB has decided to redesign several large sized tourism programs as Hong Kong shopping festival, winter festival and Spring Festival international performance parade and develop more new tourism programs.

For the 2006 tourism year, the HKTB plans to introduce new programs focusing on traditional culture.

Hong Kong Disneyland is scheduled to open on Sept. 12 and some other tourism projects will be built up next year.

By strong tourism promotion drive, Hong Kong's tourism sector expects to receive 1.2 million more tourists and additional 10.4 billion HK dollars (US$1.3 billion) of tourists' spending.

Tourist arrivals in Hong Kong reached 21.8 million in 2004.

(Xinhua News Agency May 31, 2005)