IT was with some surprise that we read the letter from Ms Stephanie Borland (South China Morning Post, August 19), concerning Stanley Market. As we agree completely with her sentiments in urging that the utmost possible be done to preserve the character of Stanley Market, we are puzzled by her statement, ''As the Hong Kong Tourist Association - whose stance on this issue is frankly inexplicable - ought to know, tourism is Hong Kong's second-largest earner of foreign exchange.'' First, we at the Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA), of course know how much the tourism industry contributes to the socio-economic well-being of Hong Kong, and take every opportunity to point this out. We also know how popular Stanley is with our visitors. Our annual visitor survey showed that 14 per cent of the 8.9 million visitors we welcomed in Hong Kong last year visited Stanley. One of the roles of the HKTA is to ensure that as much of our tourism product - of which Stanley is an important part - is as attractive to visitors as possible. In fact, the Association of Retail and Tourism Services (ARTS), a body originally set up by the HKTA, wrote to the Planning Department last month, to voice support for most of the re-zoning and other parts of the plan, but also to express concern about the nature of the new Urban Council development which, ARTS feels, should be of a more rural character. The fact that some of the areas have been re-zoned does not necessarily equate with rampant re-development. One of the main areas technically re-zoned is the ''central bazaar area'', which does not mean the long pedestrian way which we all probably think of as ''Stanley Market'' but, rather, the area immediately opposite the ''wet'' market. The Planning Department says in its explanatory statement about the proposed plan, ''In order to preserve the low rise and low density character of Stanley in general and the character of the central bazaar area in particular, and to avoid overloading the limited and narrow local road network, a maximum building height restriction of three storeys (excluding basement) and not exceeding 15 metres above the mean street level abutting the development site is adopted. However, to avoid planning blight, existing development would be allowed to be re-developed to its existing building bulk upon re-development. ''Commercial uses such as banks, restaurants and retail shops are permitted as of right in the area. The bazaar area would be pedestrianised. Additionally, a loop road around the bazaar area is proposed to alleviate the traffic problem in the old town area.'' The point is that something had to be done, given the popularity of, and resulting congestion in, Stanley. The HKTA basically supports the current plan, because it attempts to make the optimum improved use of the designated area for the benefit of both visitors and residents. We did urge - and are still urging - the Planning Department to retain as much as possible of the traditional character of Stanley. We thank Ms Borland for her support of the tourism industry. AMY CHAN Executive Director Hong Kong Tourist Association
