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ABOUT HONG KONG

Population and Language

Hong Kong has a population of 7 million people, of which almost 95% are Chinese. The official languages are Chinese and English, with Cantonese being the most widely spoken Chinese dialect. All major signages are in Chinese or bilingual. English is widely spoken in Hong Kong.

 

Climate

Hong Kong has a subtropical climate with seasonal changes. November is one of the best months to visit Hong Kong. There are pleasant breezes, plenty of sunshine and comfortable temperatures at 21°C to 25°C. For the most updated information, please visit the website of Hong Kong Observatory at www.hko.gov.hk.

 

Time

The local time in Hong Kong is GMT + 8.

 

Passport and Visa

Visitors must hold a valid passport. Hong Kong has a liberal visa policy, allowing a 90-day visa-free stay upon entry to Hong Kong to nationals of more than 170 countries and territories. For country-specific visa information, please visit www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/hkvisas_4.htm.

 

For delegates from countries for which visas are required for entry to Hong Kong, please submit the application either to:

Chinese Diplomatic and Consular Mission nearest to the applicants' place of domicile; or

HKSAR Immigration Department?Delegates may approach the Meeting Secretariat, International Conference Consultants Limited, for the issue of a Letter of Reference. Together with the Letter of Reference, delegates may submit the applications, using the form downloaded from the link below, direct to the Immigration Department by post to:

 

Immigration Department,
The Government of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region,
Employment and Visit Visas Section
24/F, Immigration Tower, 7 Gloucester Road
Wan Chai, Hong Kong

 

In normal circumstances, processing of an application for a visit visa will be finalized with four weeks after the receipt of all necessary documents. To ensure sufficient time for processing, delegates are advised to submit their applications early.

Visa / Entry Permit Application Form : http://www.immd.gov.hk/ehtml/id(e)936.htm

 

For delegates traveling to other cities in Mainland China and Macau SAR, a separate entry visa may be required. Please check with and obtain your visa from the Chinese Embassy or Consulate in your country in advance.

 

Health

Vaccination certificates are usually not required. Check with your health authority as requirements can change without notice.

 

With effect from 1 January 2007, statutory no smoking areas in Hong Kong have been extended to cover the indoor areas of all restaurant premises, indoor workplaces, public indoor places, and some public outdoor places in accordance with the amended Smoking (Public Health) Ordinance (Cap. 371). No person shall smoke or carry a lighted cigarette, cigar, or pipe in no smoking areas. Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre is also one of the smoke-free premises.

 

Safety

Hong Kong is generally considered a safe city by day or night. However, avoid carrying large amounts of cash and make use of your hotel safe for valuables.

 

Currency and Credit Cards

The local currency is Hong Kong dollar (HK$), which is pegged to the US dollar at the rate of US$1 = HK$7.8. Most foreign currencies and traveler's cheques are easily exchanged in Hong Kong at banks, hotels or moneychangers with some handling charges. There are no restrictions on currencies being brought in or taken out of Hong Kong.

Hong Kong dollar notes are available in $10, $20, $50, $100, $500 and $1,000 denominations. Coins come in 10 cents, 20 cents, 50 cents, $1, $2, $5 and $10 denominations.

Major credit cards are accepted in Hong Kong. Check with your credit card provider if additional charges are imposed on credit card payment. It can be used to obtain cash advances at banks and ATMs, which are found almost everywhere and provide 24-hour cash withdrawal (HK$).

 

Public Transport

Hong Kong is so compact, getting around is quite easy. Fleets of taxis, buses, trams, ferries, complemented by the excellent Mass Transit Railway (MTR) underground system, will enable participants to travel between their hotels and other areas in the city, safely and conveniently.

 

Telecommunications

Local calls from public coin phones cost HK$1 per five minutes. Most hotels have International Direct Dialing (IDD), but may charge an extra fee for local and/or IDD calls. Stored value phone cards that allow you to make calls on public card phones are available at most of the convenience stores. The normal prefix for making overseas calls is "001" but the exact prefix varies with different phone cards. The country code for Hong Kong is "852".

 

Internet access is available in most hotels. There are also free Internet access at many coffee shops, large shopping malls, major MTR stations and public libraries in town. Wireless Broadband service is common at major shopping malls and coffee shops for laptops.

 

Electricity

Local voltage is 220V at 50Hz. Transformers are required for electrical appliances using 110V. The plug/socket system is a 3 pin rectangular type. Both transformers and adaptors may be provided by the hotel, or can easily be bought in Hong Kong.

 

Water

Tap water meets the standard of the United Nations World Health Organization. Bottled water is widely available in hotels, supermarkets and convenience stores.

 

Business, Banking and Post Office Hours

Generally, most commercial offices and government departments are open from 9 am to 5 pm on weekdays. Some may also open on Saturdays from 9 am to 1 pm. Lunch hour is usually between 1 pm to 2 pm. Major banks are open from 9 am to 4:30 pm on weekdays only. Most shops and department stores are open daily from 10 am to 9 pm, while 24-hour convenience shops are located all over the city.

Post Offices operate from 9 am to 5 pm on Monday to Friday, and 9 am to 1 pm on Saturdays. Stamp vending machines are available at major hotels.

 

Sales Tax and Tipping

There is no sales tax on goods and services in Hong Kong. Most restaurants add a service charge of 10% to their bill. Taxi drivers tend to round up the fare to the nearest Hong Kong dollar.

 

Medical Service

Hong Kong has an excellent health care system, and both government and private facilities are widely available. Many hotels have a doctor on call 24 hours for emergency treatment.

 

Insurance and Liability:

The Organizer does not accept responsibility for any individual, medical, travel or personal insurance. You are advised to secure your own insurance policies as necessary.

 

Hong Kong International Airport:

Hong Kong International Airport, operating 24 hours a day, is situated at Chek Lap Kok on Lantau Island. It is the major gateway to Mainland China and the transport hub of Asia, being directly accessible from more than 100 cities worldwide. It is regularly voted as one of the best airports all over the world. The airport features a comprehensive range of facilities and services for the tourists and business travelers. For more information about the Hong Kong International Airport, please visit www.hongkongairport.com.

 

Airlines and Flight Schedule

You may check out the information on airlines providing regular service to and from Hong Kong http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/flight/airline-information/enquiry.html

For a complete and latest flight schedule, please click here

 

There are several transport options for getting into the city to and from the airport:

 

Airport Express

It is a very convenient and fast mode of transport to and from the Central District. This high-speed rail service takes passengers from the airport to Hong Kong Station in Central in only 23 minutes. The 1-month round trip ticket for adult costs HK$180 (US$23) and one-way is HK$100 (US$13). Trains run every 10 minutes from 5:50 am to 1:15 am daily. FREE shuttle-bus services are available for connection to most of the hotels at the Hong Kong Station from 6:10 am to 11:00 pm.

 

Hotel Link Shuttle Buses

They are available at the Ground Transportation Centre Limousine Waiting Lounge. If you have a hotel booking which includes airport transfer, the Hong Kong Hotel Association Hotel Reservation Centre can be found inside the Buffer Hall immediately after the Customs area, or look for the Hotel Pick-up Counters in the Meeters & Greeters Hall. If you have not organized transportation, Hotel Pick-up Counter staff can advise and direct you to the transportation of your choice. It runs every 30 minutes to and from airport and the fares are:
from Airport to Hotel: HK$140
from Hotel to Airport: HK$100

 

Taxis

Taxis operate to almost anywhere in Hong Kong. Rate starts at HK$20.00 (US$2.5) on flag fall plus HK$1.5 (US$0.2) every 200 metres thereafter. Taxis only accept HK dollars. Passengers only pay the fare shown on the meter plus any additional charges when applicable (e.g. luggage, tunnel tolls). Hong Kong Island passengers pay the two-way Cross-Harbour tunnel toll. All passengers pay an extra fee per piece of luggage (charges displayed in taxi). A typical journey from the airport to the Central costs about HK$330 (US$42) and the fare to Tsim Sha Tsui is HK$270 (US$35).

 

Airport Departure Tax

The Air Passenger Departure Tax in Hong Kong is currently HK$120 for persons aged 12 and above, which is normally collected upon issue of tickets. Children under 12 years old are exempted.

 

More information about Hong Kong at http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/

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HONG KONG CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE