Smoking policy to suit local demand
New Disney rules on smoking at its parks in the United States may be bent in Hong Kong to take account of local people's habits, a top executive hinted yesterday.
Company officials in Buena Vista, Florida, announced that from February, smokers at Disney parks in Florida and Los Angeles would have to use designated areas.
But Disney boss Judson Green, in Hong Kong leading the negotiating team for the Penny's Bay project, said yesterday that the rule would not necessarily apply to the SAR.
Disney has had a long-standing policy of forbidding smoking in queues for rides or on its buses and monorails.
But the new policy severely limits where people can smoke.
Disney Florida spokesman Bill Warren said: 'We've had guests over the years express concerns about smoking, and what we wanted to do is respond to those guests while providing options for the adults who want to smoke.' But Mr Green told the Post that local factors would be considered when weighing up rules on smoking.
'We want to take into account all of the appropriate things for Hong Kong to make sure that it's right for Hong Kong, it's right for the culture and it's right for the people,' he said.
Census and Statistics figures show that 15 per cent of Hong Kong people aged 15 or above smoke each day.
Mainlanders, expected to form the bulk of visitors to Hong Kong Disneyland, smoke even more, puffing their way through 1,800 billion cigarettes a year.
Disney said a policy would be devised closer to the park's opening.
