Agenda offers work and recreation

A series of conferences, workshops and social events will feature during the week-long Tax Free Asia Pacific (TFAP) exhibition.

Martin Moodie, managing editor of Duty- Free News International, will provide an overview of the past year after the conference opens today at the Convention and Exhibition Centre.

He will focus on the events and changes that have affected the industry in the region.

At 10.30 am, the findings of a study on customer motivation will be discussed, with emphasis on changing attitudes to duty-free shopping and in-store behaviour.

The morning session will close with a conference at 11.45 am entitled 'Trading through the Turmoil'.

Bankers, economic journalists and duty- free executives will discuss how the regional economic crisis is affecting the industry, travel and spending patterns and what suppliers and retailers can do to ease the effects.

The afternoon session will feature workshops on 'How to get your Customer' and 'What will be hot? What will not?', both beginning at 2 pm.

At 3.30 pm, the new Hong Kong International Airport will come under discussion with the key issues being retailers and how the mix of specialist and anchor stores will work.

Delegates and exhibitors will attend a cocktail reception tonight in the Grand Foyer (level five) of the Convention and Exhibition Centre.

During the remainder of the exhibition, the Sunset Bar on level three will be open from 6.30 pm daily.

With Hong Kong being a 24-hour city and home to more than 6.5 million people, the organisers have arranged several day and evening tours for Wednesday and Thursday to enable delegates and exhibitors to experience the 'City of Life'.

A four-hour Hong Kong island tour will begin at 9 am, taking in the Central business district, the Peak, Aberdeen harbour and Stanley market.

An 'Off the Beaten Track' excursion will include a visit to a Chinese temple in Kowloon and the famous Bird Market, a Tsing Ma Bridge/Lantau Island monastery tour and a trip to Macau.

A horse racing dinner on Wednesday night will offer visitors a chance to take in Hong Kong's favourite sporting pastime, while a sneak preview of the new Chek Lap Kok airport will be provided on Thursday.