HK has to offer more than being shopping mecca In the past fiscal year, the Hong Kong Tourism Board spent HK$724 million. Corresponding visitor arrivals were 25 million with a total visitor spending of HK$119.43 billion. We have high hopes and expectations of the new leadership of the tourism board. The challenges ahead are indeed daunting - keen competition, and fewer people visiting from markets like Europe and the US, because of diminishing appeal, and other factors. Marketing is warfare. The name of the game is branding, differentiation and communication. It is time to really gear up to face the new challenges. I expect the new management of the tourism board, to not only introduce new systems and approaches, but also a culture that focuses on excellence in execution and getting results. What is more, we expect them to lead with audacity so they can meet all the challenges that lie ahead. For instance, should our over-riding goal be achieving a growth in the number of visitors who come to Hong Kong? Should we be aiming to maintain the number of tourists who come here, or even expecting a drop in number, but finding ways to increase their overall spending? We should be looking in new directions. We cannot always rely on having the edge and being a shopping paradise, given the mainland's development in the retail sector. We have to be able to offer visitors more than shopping. If we do not, our success could be short-lived. Hong Kong is a treasure island, with a rich cultural diversity. We need to open our eyes to see that. A brand must be able to attract people. In the tourism sector, we must make Hong Kong an attractive brand. Marketing success is as much about knowing our customers as making them get to know us. Major events help increase brand awareness, but it is always experiences of a different kind that touch people's hearts, and if people have enjoyed Hong Kong they will pass that on by word of mouth. We have to rediscover the unique experiences that Hong Kong offers. And if we are to touch the hearts of tourists, we need to have a hospitable culture that transcends services which are paid for. This is about education for people of all ages and from all walks of life. John Cheng, Quarry Bay Clarifying pay for maids I refer to the Agence France-Presse article that appeared in the South China Morning Post ('Escaped maid's employer arrested,' June 21) . This report said domestic helpers are paid only M$100 (HK$230) a month in Malaysia. For your information, the minimum wage paid to an Indonesian domestic helper is between M$400 and M$500 and there is no limit to the maximum wage that could be paid to all domestic helpers. The minimum wage is in accordance with the cost of living in Malaysia which is relatively cheaper than in many countries and cities including the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. In addition, all employers are required to pay for medical insurances for their domestic helpers. All legal foreign workers are also subjected to the same relevant labour laws in Malaysia that apply to domestic workers. Jama'alah Che Ros, vice-consul, Consulate General of Malaysia Paul Morris was out of order It is a very sad day for Hong Kong when one of our most dedicated senior civil servants feels she must resign. Fanny Law Fan Chiu-fun worked for me when I was chief secretary and I support everything Professor Ruth Hayhoe has said ('Warm praise for Fanny Law's achievements,' June 26) in addition, few perhaps know that in order to do her job better as permanent secretary she read for a master's degree in education at the University of Hong Kong in the evenings after a long day's work. But there is another aspect of this sorry affair which greatly concerns all in the public service and indeed us all. So far as I can discover not one of the high legal luminaries in the case condemned the reprehensible conduct of Professor Paul Morris in taping a private telephone conversation. Indeed what was said on the phone was used in the proceedings. This has sent a shiver down the spine of our civil servants who will retreat even more into their shells. It is not, as Chris Yeung implies ('Fanny Law's exit adds to turbulence,' June 24) that the kitchen is on fire, the fire will go out. David Akers-Jones, Mid-Levels Use of plastic in malls wasteful I recently visited the latest shopping mall, Megabox, in Kowloon Bay. Once again I was an inadvertent culprit in adding to our landfill problem with the disposal of a plastic dish, plastic spoon and plastic cup. In fact, everything on my plastic (but reusable) platter was made of plastic destined for the landfill sites. I note that many counters in food malls seem to be taking on this as a cost reduction measure. It reduces the need to employ someone to wash dishes and cuts water costs. The government is pushing for a tax on plastic bags. It should extend this to the use of plastic utensils in the food industry, or set up recycling requirements for food malls. In this way, consumers around Hong Kong will not have to unwillingly contribute towards our landfill problem. Mark Chan, Tai Po Airport needs more flights I refer to the report 'Ideas sought to increase airport capacity' (June 28). The New Airport Master Plan envisaged a maximum of 86 movements per hour and in 1996 the capacity of the two runways was projected to rise from 50 movements per hour at the time of commissioning to 75 movements per hour last year. You quote Airport Authority chief executive Stanley Hui Hon-chung as saying that 'the runways may be capable of surpassing the target set by the government ... to 58 by 2009 from 54 at present'. It seems what Mr Hui is saying is that present capacity is some 30 per cent below the projected figures and he may wish to explain why the authority fails to operate the airport to its planned capacity. Heinz Rust, Mid-Levels Disloyal Cathay Like most of Hong Kong's frequent flyers, I chose to travel with Cathay Pacific, for its quality, the destinations covered and its loyalty programme. I was appalled to discover that though you can earn as many points as you like you can no longer redeem them on long haul flights. Cathay does not allocate any seats for redemption, only offering them when they cannot or have not sold any revenue seats. Given so many citizens travel to relatives overseas, this is not the way Hong Kong's airline should treat its loyal customers. Is it about time the government had an open skies policy or allowed other airlines extra landing rights to pick up passengers and travel on to other regional destinations, so we have a choice of airlines and mileage programmes? Adrian Hardwick-Jones, Wan Chai
