Business receipts in value terms of many major service industries showed increases of different magnitudes in the second quarter of 2023 when compared with the second quarter of 2022, according to the provisional figures of business receipts indices released today (September 8) by the Census and Statistics Department (C&SD).
 
     Comparing the second quarter of 2023 with the second quarter of 2022, double-digit increases were recorded in business receipts of the accommodation services (+45.5%), banking (+31.0%), food services (+24.3%), retail (+17.5%), and administrative and support services (+16.0%) industries. On the other hand, double-digit decreases were recorded in business receipts of the transportation (-24.9%), import/export trade (-14.2%), courier (-13.4%) and wholesale (-12.4%) industries during the same period.
 
     Analysed by service domain, business receipts of the tourism, convention and exhibition services domain increased by 385.8% year-on-year during the same period, while those of the computer and information technology services domain also increased by 6.5% year-on-year.
 
     On a seasonally adjusted quarter-to-quarter comparison, business receipts in value terms of around half of the major service industries recorded decreases of different magnitudes in the second quarter of 2023 when compared with the first quarter of 2023. In particular, business receipts of the wholesale and courier industries decreased by 6.2% and 4.7% respectively. On the other hand, business receipts of the accommodation services industry increased by 15.4% during the same period.
 
     Comparing the second quarter of 2023 with the first quarter of 2023 and on a seasonally adjusted basis, business receipts of the tourism, convention and exhibition services domain increased by 55.4%, while those of the computer and information technology services domain also increased by 11.2%.
 
Commentary
 
     A Government spokesman said that business of many service industries improved in the second quarter of 2023, thanks to the continued recovery of inbound tourism and local consumption demand. Yet, business of a few service industries declined amid the difficult external environment.
 
     Business receipts of many service industries saw year-on-year increases in the second quarter of 2023, notably the accommodation services, film entertainment, banking, food services, land transport, retail, and administrative and support services industries. On the other hand, some industries saw decreases in business receipts, notably the water transport, import/export trade, courier, and wholesale industries.
 
     Looking ahead, the revival in inbound tourism and positive local consumption sentiment should continue to bode well for the domestically-oriented service industries in the near term. The Government's various supportive measures on consumption will also help. Yet, the difficult global economic situation will continue to weigh on the externally-oriented service industries.
 
Further information
 
     Table 1 presents the business receipts indices and their corresponding year-on-year rates of change in respect of selected service industries and service domains for the recent five quarters, while Table 2 shows the corresponding quarter-to-quarter rates of change in the business receipts indices for the recent five quarters based on the seasonally adjusted series.
 
     The revised figures of business receipts indices for the second quarter of 2023 will be released at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/web_table.html?id=660-69001) and relevant publications of the C&SD starting from October 19, 2023.
 
     Data for compiling the business receipts indices are mainly based on the Quarterly Survey of Service Industries conducted by the C&SD, supplemented by relevant data provided by the Hong Kong Monetary Authority and the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
 
     A service domain differs from a service industry in that it comprises those economic activities which straddle different industries but are somehow related to a common theme. It may include all activities carried out by all establishments in a service industry that is closely related to the domain. For a service industry that is less closely related, however, only a portion of the establishments in the industry or even only part of the economic activities of the establishments is related to the domain. Taking the tourism, convention and exhibition services domain as an example, it includes all services of convention and exhibition organisers, short-term accommodation services and services of travel agents, and some (those involving visitors as customers) of the services of restaurants, retailers and transport operators.
 
     The classification of service industries follows the Hong Kong Standard Industrial Classification Version 2.0, which is used in various economic surveys for classifying economic units into different industry classes.
 
     More detailed statistics are given in the report "Quarterly Business Receipts Indices for Service Industries, Second Quarter 2023". Users can browse and download this publication at the website of the C&SD (www.censtatd.gov.hk/en/EIndexbySubject.html?pcode=B1080006&scode=520).
 
     For enquiries about the business receipts indices, please contact the Business Services Statistics Section of the C&SD (Tel: 3903 7267 or email : business-receipts@censtatd.gov.hk).

Attention duty announcers, radio and TV stations:
 
Please broadcast the following as soon as possible and repeat it at suitable intervals:
 
     The Tourism Commission announces that as the extreme conditions will continue at least until midnight, "A Symphony of Lights" will be suspended tonight (September 8).

     The Lifts and Escalators Ordinance Disciplinary Board has completed hearings for a charge of disciplinary offence brought against Chevalier (HK) Limited, and decided that the charge is established and the company should be disciplined.
      
     As the registered lift contractor responsible for the maintenance of a lift at Sea Crest Terrace, 19 Mui Wo Ferry Pier Road, Lantau, Chevalier was charged under the Lifts and Escalators Ordinance for failing to ensure that the maintenance works for the lift was carried out properly, thus committing misconduct or neglect in a professional respect. The Board ordered Chevalier be fined $20,000 and pay the expenses incurred in the proceedings of around $47,000. The Board's decision and order were published in the Gazette today (September 8). Details are available on the website (www.gld.gov.hk/egazette/pdf/20232736/egn202327365409.pdf).
      
     On January 27, 2021, the Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) found in an inspection that the buffer of the lift was damaged and ineffective. A warning letter was then issued to Chevalier for the irregularity. As a result of Chevalier's unsatisfactory performance in maintaining the lift, the Director of Electrical and Mechanical Services, pursuant to Section 109(1) of the Ordinance, referred the disciplinary offence concerned to the Board for disciplinary proceedings.
      
     A spokesman for the EMSD reiterated that registered lift contactors should ensure that lift maintenance works are properly carried out. The EMSD will continue to strictly enforce the Ordinance to safeguard public safety.

     â€‹The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Ma Tau Kok Outline Zoning Plan (OZP). 

     "The approved OZP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide development and redevelopment within the Ma Tau Kok area," a spokesperson for the Town Planning Board said today (September 8). 
      
     The planning scheme area, covering about 139 hectares, is located in Central Kowloon within Kowloon City District. It is bounded by Tung Tau Tsuen Road and Tung Tsing Road to the north; To Kwa Wan Road and Yuk Yat Street to the east; Ngan Hon Street and San Lau Street to the south; and Tin Kwong Road to the west.
      
     The approved OZP has incorporated the amendment shown on the draft Ma Tau Kok OZP No. S/K10/29, which involves revision to the stipulated building height restriction of a site zoned "Government, Institution or Community" at 40 Lung Kong Road from three storeys to 45 metres above Principal Datum, to take forward the decision of the Metro Planning Committee of the Town Planning Board on a Section 12A application. An area of the OZP replaced by the approved Urban Renewal Authority Nga Tsin Wai Road/Carpenter Road Development Scheme Plan is also indicated on the OZP.
      
     Opportunity is also taken to amend the Notes and Explanatory Statement of the OZP to reflect the above amendment and to update the general information of various land use zonings and the planning circumstances, where appropriate.
      
     The approved Ma Tau Kok OZP No. S/K10/30 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Kowloon District Planning Office and (iv) the Kowloon City District Office.
      
     Copies of the approved OZP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the OZP can be viewed on the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).

     â€‹The Chief Executive in Council has approved the draft Urban Renewal Authority (URA) Nga Tsin Wai Road/Carpenter Road Development Scheme Plan (DSP).

     "The approved DSP provides a statutory land use planning framework to guide the implementation of the URA Nga Tsin Wai Road/Carpenter Road Development Scheme," a spokesperson for the Town Planning Board said today (September 8).

     The development scheme area covers about 3.7 hectares and is designated as "Residential (Group A)", "Government, Institution or Community" and areas shown as 'Road'. The scheme intends to achieve a holistic re-planning of land uses in the Nga Tsin Wai Road/Carpenter Road area through non in-situ redevelopment of various existing government, institution or community (GIC) facilities, restructuring of existing GIC sites with adjoining urban fabric for comprehensive residential development, and development of low-density retail blocks with the provision of a gateway square. Additional GIC facilities and at-grade landscaped diversified space will also be provided to meet community needs. 

     The approved DSP No. S/K10/URA3/2 is available for public inspection during office hours at (i) the Secretariat of the Town Planning Board, (ii) the Planning Enquiry Counters, (iii) the Kowloon District Planning Office and (iv) the Kowloon City District Office.
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     Copies of the approved DSP are available for sale at the Map Publications Centres in North Point and Yau Ma Tei. The electronic version of the DSP can be viewed on the Town Planning Board's website (www.tpb.gov.hk).