Hong Kong Disneyland management would step up efforts and continue to cooperate with travel trade partners, especially to woo more visitors from Beijing and Shanghai, the park sales and trade marketing vice-president, Josh D'Amaro said yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference, D'Amaro said more than 10,000 sets of annual pass had been sold since October.

The introduction of annual pass was, however, aimed at attracting more visitors following the theme park's dismal performance at visitors' count.

Speaking about the park's plan for the next year, D'Amaro said that the management would work with travel trade partners in devising the plan.

The park introduced three categories of annual pass in October, including value, premium and deluxe. Only 5,000 sets of premium pass would be issued.

D'Amaro, however, did not provide the break-ups on the number of pass sold under each category.

The annual pass was launched after the park had failed to meet its target of 5.6 million visitors in the first year of operation ended on September 12.

D'Amaro also refused to divulge the target visitors' number for 2007, saying the park performance would be evaluated by a lot of other factors.

He stressed the park would continue to cooperate with travel trade partners and step up promotion to business groups so that they could use the park as leisure activities for staff and clients.

A Japanese underwear company, Charle, will bring 8,000 people to the park after 5 pm on February 28, he said.

The park would also make a website for travel trade groups, giving details on trade promotional offers. Travel agencies would also be awarded if they met the selling targets, D'Amaro said.

(China Daily November 15, 2006)