Thirty-seven new hotels are expected to be built in the next five years to accommodate more influx of tourists from the Chinese mainland and create 8,000 new jobs for Hong Kong people, Secretary for Economic Development and Labor Stephen Ip said here Wednesday.

In his representation to the Legislative Council on Wednesday, Ip said that Hong Kong has currently 118 hotels and 467 guesthouses in Hong Kong, employing 28,400 people, according December's figures.

The number is forecast to rise to 155 hotels in 2010.

In the 2005-06 academic year, 1,100 students enrolled in the University Grants Committee's seven tourism and hotel management related degree and sub-degree programs, up 20 percent on 2003-04.

Ip said the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government will maintain a similar number of subsidized student places.

The Institute of Vocational Education, the Hospitality Industry Training and Developing Center and the Chinese Cuisine Training Center provided 6,200 places for pre-employment and on-the-job training, up 43 percent on 2003-04.

It is expected to rise by 78 percent in the 2009-10 academic year, compared with 2003-04.

Source: Xinhua