RI visitors to HK drops by 89 percent

JAKARTA: The number of Indonesian visitors to Hong Kong has declined by 89 percent due to the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak.

"There were 10,200 Indonesians who visited Hong Kong in March but the number sharply dropped to 2,022 people in April," Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) regional director for South and South East Asia David Leung told the media on Thursday.

HKTB report said that 18,250 Indonesians made a visit to Hong Kong in April of 2002.

The Hong Kong government is now allocating HK$417 million (US$53.46 million) to promote tourism and stimulate local consumption.

The World Health Organization (WHO) lifted its travel advisory against Hong Kong on May 23 while the U.S.-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also downgraded its traveler notification for Hong Kong from travel advisory to travel alert.

According to the WHO report on June 18, 1,755 SARS-probable cases were reported in Hong Kong with 295 fatalities. The global data shows 8,465 cases with the number of deaths at 801. -- JP

;JP;SPS; ANPAa..r.. Scene-NU-Surabaya-protest Surabaya hosts NU youth congress JP/4/4scen20b

Surabaya hosts NU youth congress

SURABAYA: The 13th Nahdlatul Ulama Youths Association (IPPNU) Congress was officially opened by Vice President Hamzah Haz at the Haj boarding school in Surabaya on Thursday. It will last until Sunday.

Minister of Religious Affairs Said Agiel al-Munawar, the chairman of NU Hasyim Muzadi as well as the governor of East Java Imam Utomo also attended the opening.

In his speech, Hamzah spoke about natural resource ownership in the country.

Hasyim urged the youths to focus on getting a better education instead of getting involved in politics.

The ceremony was disrupted when photographers and cameramen staged a protest after being banned from taking pictures.

During the congress, delegates will elect IPPNU's new chairperson. -- JP