The gates holding back the imposing flood of money that will ensue when more potential online gamblers in Eastern Asia get connected and start spending money online seem to be bulging noticeably more by the minute. The first big market up for grabs could be Hong Kong.
In a step in that direction, Hong Kong's Secretary for Information Technology and Broadcasting (ITB) K C Kwong last week called for joint efforts by the academia, the industry and the government to promote the development of electronic commerce in Hong Kong.
At the inauguration of new Masters of Science programs on E-Commerce and Internet Computing launched by the University of Hong Kong. Kwong pointed out the rapid growth of e-commerce throughout the world and suggested that Hong Kong should strive to not miss the boat. "The government fully recognizes the importance of e-commerce in driving our long-term economic growth," he said. "We are committed to providing a favorable environment for e-commerce to take hold and flourish in Hong Kong and are embarking on various initiatives to achieve this challenging goal."
Kwong said the key to Hong Kong' success in e-commerce is equipping the people with the skills that are needed. With that in mind, he commended the University of Hong Kong for quickly establishing the
two masters programs. He added, "The programs are a timely response to the needs of business as we press ahead with the launching of e-commerce across the whole community."