The Secretary for Social Affairs and Culture, Chui Sai On, said that the authorities would cooperate with Guangdong and Hong Kong to develop regional tourism so as to make these three places the most famous tourist spots in the world.

Mr. Chui today (13 September) received a delegation of 60 members led by the director of the Guangdong Tourism Administration, Zheng Tongyang. The Secretary revealed that Macao and Guangdong would reinforce bilateral cooperation in tourism by increasing reciprocal visits.

Mr. Chui stated that infrastructure and traffic networks were necessary for tourism to grow. He said that the establishment of a Hong Kong-Macao-Zhuhai Bridge would certainly help to promote regional tourism by shortening the travel time.

Meanwhile, Mr. Zheng said that statistics indicated that there had been a significant increase in the number of Macao residents as well as the foreigners,who passed through Macao to the Pearl River Delta,traveling to Guangdong province. He said this phenomenon indicated that tourism between Macao and Guangdong was growing, and that cooperation between the two areas had been fruitful.

Mr. Zheng also pointed out that Macao and Guangdong province had different cultures and characteristics, which would benefit the development of tourism in both places.