Appointments to Advisory Committee on Cruise Industry announced
The Government today (December 29) announced the appointment of five new members and reappointment of eight members to the Advisory Committee on Cruise Industry (ACCI) for the period from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027.
The five newly appointed members are Mr Benjamin Bouldin, Mr Roger Chen Ranfeng, Mr Jerry Leong Wai-loon, Mr Ricky Li Wai-keung and Mr Tim Sypko.
The membership of the ACCI with effect from January 1, 2026, is as follows:
Chairman
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Commissioner for Tourism
Members
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Mr Anthony Lau Chun-hon (Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, ex-officio member)
Mr Tommy Tam Kwong-shun (Chairman of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, ex-officio member)
Mr Benjamin Bouldin*
Ms Gee Chan
Mr Roger Chen Ranfeng*
Mr Dickson Chin Lap-kong
Ms Eunice Lee Sau-yan
Ms Leong Mei-cheng
Mr Jerry Leong Wai-loon *
Mr Ricky Li Wai-keung *
Mr Jason Shum Jiu-sang
Mr Tim Sypko*
Dr Frederick Yip Yeung-fai
*Newly appointed members
The ACCI was established in January 2008 to provide advice to the Government on issues relating to the development of cruise tourism in Hong Kong.
The spokesman for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said, "We will continue to work in close collaboration with the ACCI and other key stakeholders in the cruise trade and travel industry to leverage on the strengths of Hong Kong, further promote the development of cruise tourism in Hong Kong and consolidate Hong Kong's position as Asia's hub for cruises. We would also like to express our gratitude to the outgoing members, Dr Zinan Liu, Mr Michael Moriarty, Mr Daniel Wan Kam-fai and Mr Timothy Wong Cheuk-tim, for their valuable advice rendered to the ACCI during their tenure."
Photo source: tourism.gov.hk
Government launches industry consultation on proposed legislative amendments to facilitate digitalisation of business-to-business trade documents
The Government published a consultation paper today (December 29) to gather industry opinions on the proposed legislative amendments to facilitate digitalisation of "Business-to-Business" (B2B) trade documents in Hong Kong.
International trade involves presentment or submission of various trade documents, including "Business-to-Government" (B2G) documents (such as import and export declarations, cargo manifests and various licences or permits) and B2B documents (such as bills of lading and bills of exchange). While the trade may already submit most of the B2G trade documents through the Government Electronic Trading Services and the Trade Single Window, transactions involving certain B2B trade documents still rely largely on paper-based means due to legal requirements and industry practice. As technology advances, the digitalisation of these documents has emerged as a new trend.
As announced in the 2025-26 Budget and the 2025 Policy Address, the Government will make reference to the Model Law on Electronic Transferable Records (MLETR) advocated by the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law and consider legislative amendments to facilitate digitalisation of trade documents. Upon careful consideration by relevant authorities, the consultation paper outlines and seeks industry opinions on the proposed framework to amend the Electronic Transactions Ordinance (Cap. 553) (ETO) and relevant legislation for implementing MLETR provisions, covering various key aspects including the scope of application, assessment of reliability and operational requirements.
The legislative amendments will provide the legal basis for the use of electronic transferable records, which are the electronic version of transferable documents or instruments. Suitable MLETR provisions will be codified into the ETO as far as practicable, with a view to aligning with international standards and promote cross-border interoperability.
A spokesman for the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau (CEDB) said, "The Government endeavours to maintain a business-friendly environment to enhance Hong Kong's competitiveness in international trade. Digitalisation of B2B trade documents may reduce processing time and costs, enhance transparency and integrity, and facilitate international trade. We hope that the legislative proposal would empower the industry to develop technical solutions that suit their actual needs, thereby further enhancing Hong Kong's competitiveness as an international financial, maritime and trade centre."
The consultation paper is available on the CEDB website (www.cedb.gov.hk). Stakeholders are welcome to submit their views to the Government through email (MLETR_consultation@cedb.gov.hk), fax (2147 3065) or post (Division 4, Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, 23/F, West Wing, Central Government Offices, 2 Tim Mei Avenue, Tamar, Hong Kong) on or before March 27, 2026.
