Ma was speaking to workshop on human resources development for MICE and tourism-related
sectors (MICEMan Workshop), held in November.
At the workshop, trainers, employers and policy-makers came together to exchange views
on human resources issues faced by the industry in Hong Kong.
Ma said: “We need to build on our existing pool of local and international talent, and work
hand-in-hand with the training institutes, universities and employers in the field to bridge
any gaps in our labour market.”
According to the Hong Kong Hotel Association, its member hotels have lost hundreds of trained staff to hotels in China and Macau, which have more relaxed visa regulations.
Ma said the government would welcome views on how it could adjust relevant policies “to remove any bottlenecks for the industry to recruit the right talent, from local and overseas,
for providing effective services to our MICE clients”.
A MICE Steering Committee has also been established after chief executive Donald Tsang
highlighted Hong Kong’s growing concerns about the future of its convention and exhibition industry.
For more details, see Hong Kong Analysis on page 24.
