Disneyland advantageous to regional tourism

The Secretary for Economy and Finance, Mr Francis Tam Pak Yuen, said today that the opening of Disneyland in Hong Kong would be advantageous to regional tourism and the economy. He said that in the global development of regional tourism, enhancement of tourism facilities in any member city would be advantageous to the whole region, and the MSAR Government welcomed this kind of development, as Macao would eventually benefit from the growth of regional market. Mr Tam, who is heading an 80-member business delegation to Xiamen for the 9th China International Fair for Investment and Trade, said the participation of ministers from Portuguese-speaking countries in the fair had highlighted Macao’s mediating role. In response to press questions about a reported theme park project in Macao, said to be initiated by a foreign investor, Mr Tam said many foreign investors had shown interests in Macao in recent years, as the MSAR Government was actively developing the local economy. However, many plans were still in the very initial stages. Plans would be submitted to the Government when they become more substantive, he said. He stressed that the Government would carefully select projects that would benefit the economic development of Macao.