Location & Accommodation

Molecular Medicine and Biopharma opportunities

Congress Venue
William MW Mong Block, Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong

Hotel	Room Type	Room Rate Per Night	Breakfast	Distance to the Venue
Le Meridien Cyberport	Smart Room	HK$1,412.50 (US$183)	Include one breakfast daily	5 min by car
Island Pacific Hotel	Harbour View Room	HK$881.40 (US$114)	Not included	15 minutes by car
Ramada Hong Kong Hotel	Standard Room	HK$760 (US$99)	Include one breakfast daily	15 minutes by car

Shuttle bus service between Island Pacific Hotel and Forum venue will be available

Notes:

1. The rates include 10% service charge and 3% government tax. One breakfast is included daily, except for Island Pacific Hotel which does not include breakfast.
2. Hotel reservations will be taken on a first-come-first-served basis. Credit card details are required by hotel to secure your booking.
3. One night's room rate will be charged by the hotel if you cancel your booking after 31 January 2007 or you do not arrive on the first night booked. In the event of no-show, hotel reservation will be released automatically.
4. The special room rates quoted are only valid for reservations made through International Conference Consultants Limited on or before 31 January 2007. The Secretariat has an obligation to return all unsold rooms to the hotels after 31 January 2007, therefore, room availability and special rates for reservation made after that date cannot be guaranteed.
5. All enquiries, changes or cancellation of room reservations should be addressed to the Secretariat and NOT directly to the hotel.
6. The prevailing exchange rate is approximately US$1 = HK$7.70

Please download the Hotel Reservation Form, complete and return to the Secretariat by fax or mail.

Conference Information

September 2006	Commencement of Online Abstract Submission for poster presentation
15 Feburary 2007	Deadline for Submission of Abstracts
15 February 2007	Deadline for Registration
5 - 6 March 2007	Forum Dates

Language
The official language of the Forum is English. No simultaneous interpretation will be provided.

Official Letter of Invitation
To facilitate participants' travel and visa arrangements, the Secretariat will issue a letter of invitation upon request. The letter does not imply the provision of any financial or other support, unless otherwise specified by the organizers.

Certificate of Attendance
A certificate of attendance will be issued at the time of registration to delegates who are pre-registered. For onsite registrations, a certificate will be available at the end of the Congress. No certificates will be issued after the Congress.

Insurance and Liability
Participants are advised to secure their own insurance to cover loss incurred in case of cancellation, medical expenses and damage or loss of personal properties.

About Hong Kong

Airport (Hong Kong International Airport)
Hong Kong is the transport hub of Asia, being directly accessible from more than 100 cities worldwide. For more information about Hong Kong International Airport, please visit www.hkairport.com.

Upon your Arrival
Visitors will find a number of services on site at the airport including hotel counters and private limousine services. These services are located at counters 1 to 4 in the Arrival Hall, right in the centre of the Meeters and Greeters area.
As the hub for all surface transport to and from downtown, the Ground Transportation Centre - connected to the Passenger Terminal Building is where passengers can board the Airport Express, taxis, Airbuses or tour coaches at specially designated area. The following fares and routes are quoted for your reference:

Airport Express (AEL)
Visitors will find a number of services on site at the airport including hotel counters and private limousine services. These services are located at counters 1 to 4 in the Arrival Hall, right in the centre of the Meeters and Greeters area.

Hotel Transfer
Please call at the Hong Kong Hotels Association Hotel Reservation Centre inside the Buffer Hall immediately after the customs area, or look for the Hotel Pick-Up Counters at the Meeters and Greeters Hall. The Staff on duty will advise and direct you to the transportation of your choice. HK$100 to HK$140 per single journey.

Taxi
Metered taxis are reasonable. Rates start at HK$15.00 on flag fall plus HK$1.40 every further 250 metres. Taxis only accept HK$, only pay the fare shown on the meter plus any additional charges when applicable (e.g. luggage, tunnel tolls). Hong Kong Island passengers pay the two-way Cross-Harbour tunnel toll. All passengers pay an extra fee per piece of luggage (charges displayed in taxi). The estimated fares and distances from the airport to major areas in Hong Kong are as follows:

• Hong Kong Island - Wanchai HK$325 (39 km)
• Kowloon - Tsimshatsui HK$270 (34 km)

Departure Tax
Adults (12 years and over) HK$120.00
Children (under 12 years) Free
This is either included in the price of your ticket or will be collected at check in counters.

Business, Post Office and Banking Hours
Generally, offices of most of the commercial establishments and government departments are open from 0900 to 1700 hours with a lunch hour from 1300 to 1400.Some of them work on Saturdays and the hours are usually from 0900 to 1300. Major banks are open from 0900 to 1630 on weekdays, 0900 to 1230 on Saturdays.
Postal rates are cheap and post offices are scattered far and wide across the city. Post offices are open from 0900 to 1700 hours from Monday to Friday, 0900 to 1300 hours on Saturdays. Stamp vending machines are available at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and major hotels.
Most of the shops and department stores are open daily from 1000 to 2100 hours.

Climate
The March weather in Hong Kong is usually humid with fog and drizzle. The temperature ranges from 16 C to 21 C. All Forum sessions will be held in air-conditioned venues. For more information, please visit the Hong Kong Observatory's website at www.hko.gov.hk.

Currency
The Hong Kong Dollar (HK$) is the unit currency used in Hong Kong. The official exchange rate of Hong Kong dollar to US dollar is 7.80 (subject to fluctuation). Most foreign currencies and traveller's cheques can be changed over banks, hotels and moneychangers. Major credit cards are accepted in Hong Kong. There are no restrictions on the type or amount of money that can be brought into or taken out of Hong Kong.

Electricity
Electricity is supplied as alternating current and the voltage is 200/220 Volts/frequency 50 cycles.

Health
Vaccination certificates are not required for yellow fever, cholera and typhoid for visitors traveling to Hong Kong. However, you are advised to check with your doctor well before departure as requirements can change without prior notice.

Language
Hong Kong has a population of 7 million people. Almost 95% of the population is Chinese. The official languages are Chinese and English, with Cantonese the most widely spoken Chinese dialect. All major signage is in Chinese or bilingual. English is widely spoken in Hong Kong. The official language of the Congress is English.

Passport and Visa
Passport holders from most countries are granted a 90-day stay upon entry to Hong Kong. For country-specific visa information, please check the most updated information from the Hong Kong Immigration Department at www.info.gov.hk/immd/english/topical/e/1.htm.
Participants attending Forum who require an entry visa for Hong Kong are advised to make the necessary arrangements well in advance of their departure. They should ensure that their visa is valid for a sufficient duration. A letter of invitation from the Secretariat may be requested in writing for facilitating your visa application.

Public Transport
Hong Kong is so compact, getting around is quite easy. Fleets of taxis, buses, trams, harbour ferries, complemented by the excellent Mass Transit Railway (MTR) underground system, enable visitors to explore Hong Kong on their own safely and conveniently.

Safety
Hong Kong is generally considered a safe city by day or night.As in all big cities, avoid carrying large amounts of cash. Make use of your hotel's safe-deposit boxes for valuable items.

Sales Tax
There is no sales tax on goods and services in Hong Kong.

Telecommunications
Local calls are free. Local calls from public coin phones cost HK$1 per five minutes. Most hotels have International Direct Dialing (IDD), but may charge an extra fee for local and/or IDD calls. Stored-value phone cards allow you to make calls on (IDD) public coin and card phones.
Internet access can be found in some of the cafes round the city and is generally available in most of the hotels.
Country code for Hong Kong is "852" immediately followed by the local telephone number. However, if you are making a call to other cities in China, you should dial the country code "86" then followed by the area code and the local telephone number.

Tipping
Restaurants would expect a tip of around 5% to 10% of the bill, even when a service charge of 10% is already included. Taxi drivers tend to round up the fare to the nearest Hong Kong dollar and if not, will appreciate a little extra. Bellboys, porters and washroom attendants will also expect a modest tip.

Water
Water that runs direct from taps satisfies the United Nations World Health Organization standards. Bottled water is widely available in hotels, supermarkets and convenience stores.

For more information on getting around Hong Kong, you may also wish to visit www.discoverhongkong.com.

Disclaimer: All information provided in this section is considered to be accurate and correct at the date of upload. We accept no responsibility should the information change between the date of upload and the date of your arrival in Hong Kong.