I was planning a two-week vacation to Vancouver, Canada with my wife. Our first instinct was to go to the Canadian Commission in Hong Kong. It seemed only common-sense to assume it would have brochures showing tourists what they could look forward to seeing in the country.
We went to the commission's offices in Exchange Square. Our question was simple: 'We are here looking for some tourist information.' Believe it or not, we were sent to three different floors before being finally told that the commission did not have any brochures for potential tourists to take. We were advised by commission staff to contact travel agents if we wanted such information.
I would have thought that one of the primary functions of a foreign commission office was to service the travelling community and the business and trade sectors. We didn't realise that the Canadian Government and its various provincial governments do not see the nation as a tourist attraction. No wonder the Canadian economy and tourism have bleak prospects while many Asian nations have a flourishing tourist industry.
WILSON WAI Mid-Levels