Chief Executive John Lee on Wednesday said the government is working on a series of measures to enhance Hong Kong's status as a cultural, sports and tourism magnet.

In his Policy Address, Lee said the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) will release a blueprint later this year on promoting Chinese culture, the development of arts and culture with an international perspective, fostering arts and cultural exchanges between China and the rest of the world, and driving industry development.

Meanwhile, the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency is incubating cultural and creative projects with a potential for industrialisation and strengthening cross-sectoral collaboration and leveraging market resources to help the sector explore business opportunities, the CE said.

Turning to the West Kowloon Cultural District, Lee said the authority running the arts hub will take a leading role in building Hong Kong's strengths in arts trading and the restoration and exhibition of high-end private art collections.

He said the authority will promote the district as a prime destination for major international cultural events, while also curating arts programmes and exhibitions to be staged on the mainland and overseas.

Lee said the government will continue to foster sports development by enhancing the development of athletes and coaches, and promoting sports in the community by providing more facilities, including a swimming complex suitable for international competitions and a sports arena with fencing facilities.

He said the government will develop a "host city economy" in the sports industry, so local athletes can compete in international events on home soil.

The CE noted that Kai Tak Sports Park will open in the first quarter of next year and said the site will "boost sports development and inject impetus into related industries such as recreation, entertainment and tourism and also mega-event economy".

On tourism, Lee said the government will develop Hong Kong into a premier destination through innovative thinking and by making better use of rich and unique resources such as Victoria Harbour, the outlying islands, rural areas, cultures, cuisine, lifestyles and historic buildings.

"These elements, combined with our edges in technology, animation and comics, the performing arts, film and television culture and more will help to instil the concept of 'tourism is everywhere'", he said.

The CSTB will publish a blueprint for the tourism industry later this year, which among other things will cover developing eco-tourism such as "island-hopping tours", and attracting tourists from the Middle East and Asean members with measures such as information in Arabic at the airport, a list of halal restaurants, and encouraging hotels to provide worship facilities.

Other plans include the promotion of "yacht tourism", "panda tourism", "horse-racing tourism" and a gourmet guide covering all 18 districts.

A working group led by the chief secretary is also going to be set up to identify and develop tourist hotspots.

Lee also said Beijing is studying SAR government proposals to enhance visas for visitors from the mainland, including the resumption of a multiple-entry arrangement for Shenzhen residents, while the criteria for multiple-entry visas will be relaxed for people from Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar.