The Hong Kong Wetland Park (HKWP) is expected to be completed and to open to the public in early 2006, a spokesman from the Tourism Commission said Thursday.

The spokesman said the park located in Tin Shui Wai of New Territories will be a world-class, eco-tourism attraction. The 61-hectare park will add to Hong Kong a facility serving conservation,education and tourism purposes.

The Tourism Commission proposed designating the wetland park asa special area under the Country Parks Ordinance to provide a legal framework empowering the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation to protect and manage the HKWP so as to achieve the desired standards of other ecological facilities.