HKCEC has won its bid to host the annual World Travel Congress of the ASTA in 2004.

Hong Kong has won its bid to host the annual World Travel Congress of the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) in 2004. The event, to be staged at the HKCEC from 28 September to 3 October, is expected to bring more than 5,000 delegates to Hong Kong, many of whom may be visiting the City of Life for the first time.

In making the announcement, Hong Kong Tourism Board Executive Director Clara Chong said it was a great honour to host ASTA, the world's largest and most prestigious association of travel professionals with more than 26,000 members.

"ASTA's decision to choose Hong Kong is very important and timely for us, as it shows that the US travel trade has long-term confidence in Hong Kong as a destination," she said. "This, in turn, will stimulate their interest in packaging and promoting Hong Kong to their customers."

Six new railway projects costing US$13 billion are set to add a new zip to travel around the territory over the next three years. By far the biggest project is West Rail, which will link urban Kowloon with Tuen Mun via Tsuen Wan and Yuen Long in the New Territories. Due to become operational at the end of next year, the Kowloon-Canton Railway (KCR) line will halve the current travel time (using roads) to just 30 minutes. It will have connections to the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) and KCR Light Rail so that it can initially serve 340,000 passengers a day.

Over to the east, the MTR is putting the finishing touches to its Tseung Kwan O Extension that links the new town to eastern Kowloon and Hong Kong Island, with connections to existing lines. The line, which is due to open ahead of schedule in August, will carry up to 56,000 commuters an hour and cut travelling time to Central to about 25 minutes. The other KCR lines coming on stream in 2004-05 are the Ma On Shan to Tai Wai Rail Link in Shatin, the East Rail Tsimshatsui Extension from Hunghom that will connect to the MTR, and the Sheung Shui to Lok Ma Chau Spur Line to provide an alternative crossing at the Shenzhen boundary. Another important MTR extension will be the link to the Hong Kong Disneyland development on Lantau Island, which is due to open to the public in 2005.