OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s tourism industry has been battered due to social unrest and might require new solutions for the future to attract more broad market segments.
SOLUTION: Re-imagine the future tourism for Hong Kong through the creation of a long-term vision, leveraging the city’s existing strengths, establishing new initiatives, and upgrading the city’s infrastructure.
Countless visitors have remarked that there is nowhere on earth that is quite like Hong Kong. One of the most-visited places on the planet, Hong Kong’s geographical location, unique history, culture, colonial past and amazing adaptability can be further leveraged to provide a wide range of tourism opportunities to attract broad market segments from across the world.
While Mainland Chinese visitors currently, and will likely continue to dominate Hong Kong’s tourism scene, catering to a single source market is often risky. Hong Kong’s past moniker as a “shopping paradise” may have faded into the mists of time as the city grapples with how it should now reposition itself. Tourism destinations often need to reinvent themselves, especially after periods of poor performance, and Hong Kong is no exception.
Architect and hospitality consultant Thomas Schmidt, AIA of Sepia Design Consultants Limited ponders a few initiatives that might diversify tourism and reposition Hong Kong over the years to come:
TOURISM IDEAS – LAND RECREATION:
SPORTING EVENTS:
Hong Kong has an existing number of sporting events offering spectators thrilling experiences — from Dragonboating to the internationally acclaimed Hong Kong Rugby Sevens.
- Rugby Sevens: Could a better selection of craft beers and adequate toilet facilities — especially at the South Stands — at the Hong Kong Stadium be provided to make an already great annual event even better?
- Horse Racing: Could horse racing at Happy Valley and Sha Tin be better marketed? Could a facelift of the Happy Valley Racecourse further excite locals and visitors to spend a night at the races?
- Badminton: Could badminton be better promoted and provided with new venues to support international competitions?
- Table Tennis: Could the city better host one if its most beloved pastimes and host international table tennis competitions?
- E-Games: Could Hong Kong become a hub for one of the fastest growing “sports” on the planet?
TRAILWALKING:
Hong Kong has already established itself as an international center for Trailwalking with the Oxfam 100-km Trailwalker as one of the premiere events along the MacLehose Trail.
- New Events: Could there be other additional triathlons or ultramarathons to leverage this already well-known walking trail to encourage visitation to the city?
TRIATHLONS:
Hong Kong is blessed with rugged mountains and an extensive coastline. While there are currently a wide range of walk, runs, and multi-day endurance running events throughout Hong Kong, long-distance Ironman Triathalons organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC) in Asia are currently held in Malaysia, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
- New Triathlons: Could Hong Kong’s triathlons be better promoted to create more international events to attract visitors to the city?
CYCLING:
Hong Kong is not known as a “bike friendly” city with its automobile-dominated infrastructure. Opportunities for cycling are restricted to smaller roads outside of the more dense urban areas.
- Ultracycling: Could new international “ultracycling” events be organized along some of the New Territories less-congested roads?
- Harbourfront Races: Could a new cycling path along the north coast of Hong Kong Island provide a venue for new 25-km harboufront race, and perhaps Ironman events?
- Mountain Biking: Could mountain biking competitions be promoted in the hills of Hong Kong?
- Urban Cycling Lanes: Could new cycling lanes be provided along some of Hong Kong’s more congested roads to allow residents and tourists to use pedal power to explore the city and get to work?
OUTDOOR SURVIVAL:
While limited types of Outward Bound-type of private survival courses are often provided in the New Territories, what else might be considered?
- Island Survival Centers: Could some of the rarely-visited outlying islands with their jungle-like interiors and perilous coastlines become dedicated outdoor survival training centers to attract adventure enthusiasts?
- Entertainment: Could a new “Survivor” type of reality TV series be filmed in some of the more isolated and inhospitable corners of Hong Kong?
- Teambuilding Centers: Could dedicated teambuilding centers with outdoor obstacle courses be provided for corporate teambuilding events, school trips, etc.?
NATURE RESERVES:
Mai Po Wetlands in the New Territories is a shining example of a protected conservation area that bridges the gap between education and tourism.
- New Nature Preserves: Could additional conservation parks and nature preserves be established throughout the territory to drive tourism and protect our environment?
- Lantau: To leverage the Government’s current efforts, could large portions of Lantau be better protected relative to creation of protected areas?
URBAN PARKS:
Hong Kong Park and Kowloon Park are two examples of the city’s larger urban parks; however, the design and operation of these parks often result in transitory and underutilized environments.
- Usable Lawns: Lawns that are off limits to human contact do nothing to encourage park visitation; could new large landscaped areas be provided to allow for picnicking, or simply napping in the sun?
- Seating: A general lack of seating does not encourage lingering in these green spaces; could additional street furniture be provided, which does not encourage homelessness?
- Food & Beverage: Our parks generally have a very limited range of food and beverage offerings peddled out of kiosks, could new high-quality food and beverage outlets with al fresco seating be providing throughout Hong Kong’s parks? Could Hong Kong have it’s own New York City Central Park “Tavern on the Green?”
- Concerts: Could outdoor concerts be provided in some of Hong Kong’s parks? From a string quartet in a pagoda, to a symphony beneath the stars?
THEME PARKS:
Hong Kong’s two major theme parks have been struggling for years. With Government ownership stakes in both theme parks, Hong Kong’s Ocean Park received a massive multi-billion dollar Government bailout and capital infusion for expansion in January 2020. Hong Kong Disneyland continues to perform below expectations, with growing calls for the idle expansion areas surrounding the park, which were revoked in September 2020, to be replaced with housing to help alleviate the city’s housing crisis. Some believe this very compact Disney park was too small to begin with, resulting in an inferior product limiting its success.
- Ocean Park Expansion: Will the proposed expansion and major renovation of Ocean Park actually pay off in expected tourism dollars? Only time will tell.
- Disneyland Expansion: Could a similar expansion of Hong Kong Disneyland into a larger and more diverse attraction also help generate tourism dollars?
- New Theme Parks: In lieu of an expansion of Disney, could the construction of a new cluster of complimentary theme parks surrounding Hong Kong Disneyland increase visitor numbers and help turn the tide for Hong Kong’s tourism?
- Theme Park Closure: Now for the elephant in the room: Is there really a market that economically justifies the existence of two major theme parks in Hong Kong? If push came to shove, and one theme park had to close relative to Government support, which one would it be? Ocean Park with its long history and unique Hong Kong characteristics, or Disneyland with its global brand? Could a new mega-theme park be created at Guishan Island to serve Hong Kong and Southern China — which might help justify the very costly and little-used Hong Kong – Macao – Zhuhai bridge? Could this allow for the closure of one of Hong Kong’s theme parks?
The future success of theme parks and their role as a strong driver of tourism in Hong Kong remains unclear.
While the above ideas are by no means an exhaustive listing, it is hoped they will provide food for thought as to how Hong Kong might reinvent itself relative to future tourism.