Travel agents will soon be able to become Hong Kong specialists through a training initiative to be rolled out this spring by the Hong Kong Tourist Association.
HKTA Pan European communications manager Marie Prince said: “We felt the current Travel Trade Manual – which offers information from hotels to tours – was well received but agents and operating staff needed something to learn from rather just a reference guide.”
The scheme, which is free, is called Hong Kong Specialist and consists of a folder of information divided into three lessons, plus videos to be used as learning tools. Students complete the lessons at their own pace, take one final multiple-question exam on Hong Kong’s main selling points which is sent into the HKTA for approval.
“It is designed to be flexible and enable agencies and operators to either train staff themselves or opt for us to organise training for them.”
The first section consists of an introduction to Hong Kong covering facts such as location, history, climate and how to get there; the second lesson concentrates on the variety of attractions, service and festivals; while the third section focuses on special-interest groups such as families, conference and incentive travel, cruising and gourmet travellers. Families and cruising are small niche markets from the UK, but both are expected to become growth areas following Disney’s decision to open a theme park on one of the islands in 2005 and Star Cruises’ decision to introduce Hong Kong as a new hub for the first time this year.
“The new Disney theme park will primarily target other Asian markets but it will also appeal to UK families booking Australia and trying to decide whether to stop off in Hong Kong or Singapore,” said Prince.
n Agents and operators who are interested in becoming Hong Kong Specialists should contact HKTA marketing executive Kath Allen on 020-7533 7100.