The Hong Kong Tourism Board was very interested to see the letter from Ted Thomas (South China Morning Post, March 19), concerning the provision of maps and bus service information for visitors to Hong Kong. We commend the Guild of Professional Writers and Broadcasters in taking the initiative to gather the observations of their guests and look forward to receiving the promised report. It will be very timely because, in fact, we have just embarked on a complete review of the visitor information currently available from the board and other public or private sources, to evaluate how well it meets the current needs of visitors as identified in our regular surveys. One reason we need to do this is to address changing market trends. Whereas in the past a large proportion of visitors came on organised tours, we are now welcoming a rapidly-growing number of independent travellers, who want to be able to explore Hong Kong's attractions further afield on their own. Without wishing to prejudge the findings of this review, there is no doubt that room for improvement exists in the area of co-ordinated bus service information and maps. The Tourism Board cannot solve this issue alone. We shall be seeking input from transport operators and government departments, and I am sure we can count on their support. We shall also be talking to commercial publishers to see how best we can work together. The objective is to determine what information can viably be made available through the private sector, then make sure that any gaps are adequately covered by the relevant public authorities. Hong Kong does indeed have a world-class public transport system and it is in everyone's interests that we encourage both visitors and residents to make the fullest use of it. DONNA MONGAN Hong Kong Tourism Board
