The Hong Kong Award for Services: Tourism Services is an excellent vehicle for acknowledging and rewarding companies which demonstrate consistently high service standards and play an active role in supporting the development of Hong Kong as one of the world's pre-eminent travel destinations.

Background

Now in its seventh year, the Hong Kong Awards for Services was established to recognise and encourage excellence in different sectors of the service industries. The scheme is divided into five categories: Productivity, Innovation, Export Marketing, Tourism Services and Customer Service. Small to medium-sized companies are strongly encouraged to participate.

Organiser

The 2003 Hong Kong Award for Services: Tourism Services is organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

Objectives

The Hong Kong Award for Services: Tourism Services was established to:

• give public recognition to those organisations and companies that provide outstanding services to visitors to Hong Kong;
• encourage small to medium-sized enterprises to participate in this city-wide Award scheme so as to make the public aware of their contributions to Hong Kong's tourism industry;
• raise the standard of services provided to visitors in Hong Kong;
• acknowledge the importance of the tourism industry to the Hong Kong economy;

Benefits of Participation

• The Award will provide an evaluation process for companies to enhance their competitiveness.
• The Award will provide excellent publicity opportunities for the winners.
• Winning the Award will increase company morale and favourably increase its profile in the business community.
• Winners of the Award will receive a permanent memento and will be allowed to use the logo on their stationery and promotional literature, and in advertising, for three years.

Eligibility

Companies and organisations of all sizes which are operating in Hong Kong and providing services to visitors from overseas are eligible to compete for the Award.

• The Award is also open to individual divisions of a company, provided that the principal activity of the division concerned is sufficiently distinct from the services provided by other divisions.
• The Hong Kong Tourism Board reserves the right to make final and binding decisions on the eligibility of participants.

Awards

There will be only one grand award winner of the Hong Kong Award for Services: Tourism Services. However, a subsidiary award, the Hong Kong Award for Services: Tourism Services Award, will be granted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

Criteria

Evaluation is based on the type and quality of a company's services, specifically relating to overseas visitors. For example: fulfilment of promises of high service standards; consistency in performance; product/service improvement; role in supporting the development of Hong Kong as one of the world's top travel destinations; and attitude to the importance of quality service for overseas visitors.

Judging Procedure

The judging will be conducted in three stages:

• Initial Screening
  All entries will be screened and evaluated and a shortlist will be drawn up.

• Presentation
  Shortlisted entries will be invited to deliver a 15-minute presentation to the Hong Kong Tourism Board Judging Panel, consisting of individuals with expertise and experience in fields related to tourism services. Following the presentation, there will be a question-and-answer session.

  If necessary, the Judging Panel will make site visits to those shortlisted entries in order to decide the finalists.

• Final Selection

  The Central Judging Panel, comprising several leading figures from Hong Kong's service industries, will select the grand award winner of the Hong Kong Award for Services: Tourism Services.

  The Hong Kong Tourism Board Judging Panel will decide the winners of the Hong Kong Award for Services: Tourism Services Award.

  All decisions made by the organiser and the Judging Panels are final and binding. If the judges are unable to find entries of sufficient merit, they may, at their absolute discretion, withhold any or all of the awards.

Schedule

• Closing date for Awards entries : 16 July 2003
• Assessment by Hong Kong Tourism Board Judging Panel : July - September 2003
• Assessment by Central Judging Panel : Mid-October 2003
• Awards presentation ceremony : End of November 2003

How to Apply

Companies wishing to enter the Award Scheme should complete the entry form and return it by post no later than 16 July 2003 :

Partnership Development Department
Hong Kong Tourism Board
11/F Citicorp Centre
18 Whitfield Road
North Point
Hong Kong

Enquiries

For further information regarding the Hong Kong Award for Services: Tourism Services, please contact the Hong Kong Tourism Board on tel: 2807-6174 or fax: 2807-6584. You may also contact us via e-mail at pf@hktb.com