Appointments to Tourism Strategy Committee announced
The Government announced today (December 29) the appointment of seven new members and the reappointment of nine serving members to the Tourism Strategy Committee. In addition, Dr Peter Lam Kin-ngok, Mr Kevin Lam Sze-cay and Mr Tommy Tam Kwong-shun are appointed as the ex-officio members in view of their official capacity as theChairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Chairperson of the Travel Industry Authority and the Chairman of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong respectively. All members will serve a two-year term for the period from January 1, 2026, to December 31, 2027.
The seven newly appointed members are Mr Syed Asim Hussain, Mr Ryan Ip Man-ki, Mr Chris Ip Ngo-tung, Miss Vivian Kong Man-wai, Dr Billy Mak Sui-choi, Mr Tim Sypko and Mr Alex Wu Shui-lun.
The composition of the Committee with effect from January 1, 2026 is as follows:
Dr Peter Lam Kin-ngok (Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, ex-officio member)
Mr Kevin Lam Sze-cay (Chairperson of the Travel Industry Authority, ex-officio member)
Mr Tommy Tam Kwong-shun (Chairman of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, ex-officio member)
Mr Raymond Chow Wai-kam
Mr Syed Asim Hussain
Mr Ryan Ip Man-ki
Mr Chris Ip Ngo-tung
Miss Vivian Kong Man-wai
Mr Ronald Lam Siu-por
Mr Dominic Lee Tsz-king
Mr Jonathan Leung Chun
Dr Billy Mak Sui-choi
Mr Wilfred Ng Sau-kei
Mr Tim Sypko
Mrs Annie Tse Yau On-yee
Mr James Wong Cheuk-on
Mr Ivan Wong Chi-fai
Mr Alex Wu Shui-lun
Mr Yiu Pak-leung
Chaired by the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Committee is tasked to provide the Government with strategic advice and foster collaboration among different stakeholders in tourism and other related sectors for further promoting the long-term and sustainable development of Hong Kong's tourism industry. Members include prominent figures and key leaders from the tourism and other related sectors such as culture, sports, retail, catering, etc.
A spokesman for the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau said, "We will continue to work closely with members to further foster the integrated development of tourism and other related sectors and consolidate Hong Kong's position as a world-class premier tourism destination. We would also like to express our gratitude to those members who are going to retire from the Committee, namely, Professor Kaye Chon, Mrs Gianna Hsu Wong Mei-lun, Mr Simon Lee Siu-po, Mr Ma Ho-fai, Mr Michael Moriarty, Dr Pang Yiu-kai, Mr Paul Tse Wai-chun, Mr Peter Wong Chak-fung, Ms Belinda Yeung Bik-yiu, Dr Frankie Yeung Wai-shing and Dr Allan Zeman, for their dedicated service and wise counsel 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.
