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Goldjoy Shopping Paradise will open its doors in this summer to all tourists looking for a place to relax, shop and dine in the knowledge that they are getting the best value for money anywhere in Hong Kong -- all under one roof.

That is the brainchild of local entrepreneur Freddy Yip, who is Managing Director of Goldjoy Travel. A tourism industry veteran, he believes that tour operators who take tourists, especially Mainland visitors, to rip-off shops are only shooting themselves in the foot. Such operations will sooner rather than later be forced to close as word about their dealings spread, which is also bad news for other tourism industries trying to turn an honest buck.

Mr Yip, who is also chairman of the Hong Kong Travel Agent Owners Association, has worked in the tourism industry for more than three decades. He set up Goldjoy Travel in 1989, and has been a strong advocate of promoting Hong Kong_s status as one of the world's best tourism destinations.

While his company specialises in organising niche tours to off-the-beaten track countries in Latin America, the Middle East and Europe, Mr Yip recently forged a partnership with local politician and former Chamber Chairman Allen Lee, who shares the same vision.

Because he believes unscrupulous tour operators are tarnishing Hong Kong's image, he decided to launch Goldjoy Shopping Paradise, a place where tourists don't need to worry about getting cheated.

"Located on the fringe of Tsimshatsui, Hong Kong_s tourism heart, the approximately 170,000 square-foot shopping, dining and entertainment mall is designed to offer an exciting blend of experiences and one-stop-shop services to tourists," he said.

The centre can accommodate a wide range of shops on three floors, and Mr Yip said he plans to lease out the shops to a wide range of retailers selling everything from T-shirts to designer brands and jewellery.

The take-up rate in the mall has been quite high due to the marketing efforts of Mr Yip, Mr Lee and their marketing team. At the time of writing, around 20 retail brand names had either signed contracts or are negotiating lease contracts to provide tourists with the best mix of merchandise and services. These range from jewellery and watches, cameras and digital pro-ducts, leather wear, cosmetics, fashion, dried seafood, Chinese medicine, and arts & crafts.

The centre is also considering operating a "Hong Kong 18 Zone" which will offer tourists a sampling of famous sightseeing spots in Hong Kong and cuisine unique to those destinations. Cultural and entertainment shows are also planned to allow guests to enjoy the cultural treasures of China and Hong Kong.

To uphold the values on which the business venture was founded, Mr Yip said the centre will run a Quality Product Guarantee, which will allow tourists to have the option of returning their purchases within 14 days for a full refund.

"This 14-day, full-refund guarantee allows tourists to enjoy shopping in 'Paradise' with complete confidence," he said.

Visitors will be given a Privileged Shopping Card when they enter the mall to record their purchases, data from which will be used to calculate promotional allowances for their travel agents.

"We are also in talks with Mainland tour operators to arrange for transit flights that stop in Hong Kong for their tour groups to visit us," he said. "Tourists will be offered free transportation to take them to 'Paradise' and back to the airport," Mr Yip said, adding that he has already secured support from over 100 travel agents and airlines.

A growing market

Being one of Hong Kong's four pillar industries, tourist receipts have long accounted for a substantial share of local retailers, restaurants and hoteliers' income.

Mainland residents' rising standard of living and incomes means that more Mainland residents will have the desire and money to travel aboard, says Mr Yip. This is an inevitable trend, and he recommends that now is a good time for local businesses to tap into this market.

According to statistics compiled by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, total tourist arrivals reached 16.57 million in 2002, representing an encouraging 21 per cent growth over 2001. Visitors from the Mainland accounted for 41 per cent of all visitors in 2002 at 6.28 million, a staggering rise of 53 per cent over 2001's figures.

"Last year the number of Mainland tourists coming to Hong Kong more than doubled and this growth has substantial benefits for our economy," Mr Yip said. "To make sure Mainland visitors keep coming to Hong Kong, we need to provide them with quality services and good value for money. If we don't, we will lose their business because they will go somewhere else. It is as simple as that."
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