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The International Federation of Parks and Recreation Administration (IFPRA) World Congress Hong Kong 2010 concluded today (November 18) with delegates participating in roundtable sessions to share their insights and exchange views on the latest developments and outlook in the fields of parks, recreation and tourism.
The roundtable sessions were chaired by renowned world experts, namely Director, Centre for City Park Excellence, The Trust for Public Land, USA, Mr Peter Harnik; Dean of the business school at Griffith University, Australia, Professor Christopher Auld; and Assistant Professor of the School of Hotel and Tourism Management,the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Dr Xiao Honggen.
Today also saw the last round of the Conference's parallel sessions where leading experts gave presentations on various topics including: play space in malls; urban forests and parks for environmental learning; green infrastructure development in Hong Kong; the family park concept in Helsinki, Finland; and Swedish garden tourism.
The IFPRA World Congress Hong Kong 2010, jointly organised by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department and the Hong Kong Recreation Management Association, was held in Hong Kong City Hall between November 15 and 18.
The World Congress was structured around the themes of "Quality Services - Parks, Recreation and Tourism". World experts in different disciplines in the leisure, recreation and tourism fields shared and exchanged their ideas and the latest research findings on the development of parks and recreational services during the event.
Congress activities included three keynote addresses and more than 30 parallel sessions, trade exhibitions as well as visits to Hong Kong's most prominent theme parks, recreational facilities and tourist spots.
The IFPRA is a renowned international non-profit organisation comprising representatives from over 50 countries/regions who are professionals in the fields of parks, recreation, amenities and leisure services. Its main aims and objectives cover the advancement of parks, recreation, cultural and leisure services through presentation and dissemination of information, adoption of international training and qualification standards, promotion of research, and establishment of national recreation and park associations.
The IFPRA World Congress is held every three years in international cities around the world. The last two world congresses were held in Hamamatsu, Japan in 2004 and in Dublin, Ireland in 2007.
The IFPRA World Congress Hong Kong 2010 was supported by government departments and organisations including the Architectural Services Department, Civil Engineering and Development Department, Hong Kong Housing Authority, Hong Kong Tourism Board and Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects.
Ends/Thursday, November 18, 2010
Issued at HKT 17:12
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