Hotel room occupancy rates continue to fall
The percentage of hotel rooms occupied in Hong Kong continued to fall last month to 61 per cent, Tourism Board figures show. In June last year, the occupancy rate was 81 per cent. Rooms costing an average of HK$420 a day suffered the greatest decline in occupancy, dropping to 55 per cent from 79 per cent a year ago. Lower prices have made such hotels popular with mainland tour groups, but the number of mainland visitors last month fell by 11.6 per cent to just over one million. Two-thirds of rooms costing an average of HK$663 a day were occupied, down from 84 per cent last year, while the city's top luxury hotels recorded an 18-percentage point decline in their occupancy rates to 60 per cent.
Democrats meet developers over 'misleading' brochures
Democratic Party members met Real Estate Developers Association vice-chairman Stewart Leung Chi-kin to propose ways to ensure property sales brochures provide accurate information. The meeting came after at least two new residential developments were criticised by an environmental group for misleading consumers with inaccurate artist's impressions. Legislator Lee Wing-tat said they asked developers to clearly list in brochures all hazardous and unpleasant facilities, such as landfill sites, located within 2 kilometres of an estate in urban areas and 5 kilometres in rural areas. The party also asked developers to publish and explain the land-use zoning plan of the area.
22 protesters charged
Twenty-two protesters at public assemblies or rallies have been charged with resisting or assaulting police officers in the execution of their duty between 2004 and 2008, a document submitted to the Legislative Council shows. The Security Bureau said police would consider pursuing prosecutions after obtaining legal advice from the Department of Justice.