Category: Arts & Culture

POP-UP KIDS’ ZONES

OBSERVATION: Despite Hong Kong’s obsession with efficiency, in an ironic twist, many of the larger shopping malls and office buildings have been designed with excessive circulation areas that could be put to better use.

SOLUTION: Provide “pop-up” kids’ zones in unused corners of shopping malls that serve as a supervised creative outlet for children, while allowing some parents to slip away and shop in peace.

Many of Hong Kong’s larger shopping malls and interconnected commercial buildings often have excessive amounts of non-programmed circulation space that could be put to more creative use.

This area at Taikoo Shing’s Cityplaza Shopping Center formerly had a water feature, but now sits vacant for the majority of the time. Could this space be put to better use?

Today’s shopping malls, typically surrounded by high-density residential areas, have become the de facto town square and serve as a gathering place for the community — especially during the weekends when children are out of school.

During the weekends, young children can be seen racing around the mall, chased by harried parents, amidst a relatively static assortment of retail and food & beverage outlets. Despite offering spacious areas for children to escape from their cramped residences, could these community gathering hubs better cater to our children?

Could some of the unused areas within shopping malls and the vacuous lobbies of commercial buildings become weekend “pop-up” kids’ zones where free supervised creative activities could be hosted, while allowing some parents to have short periods of peaceful shopping therapy?

This area at the bottom of an escalator landing has been converted to a pop-up arts and crafts center.

These drop-in kids’ zones could become a social enterprise and allow art teachers and retired volunteers to interact with a younger generation and impart their knowledge. Children could engage in a variety of guided programs: Arts and crafts using recyclable materials, learning Chinese calligraphy from an older member of the community, or creating their own puppets and performing puppet shows for other children and passersby.

While there are many paid private art and creative programs available for those parents who can afford it, could there be free programs for ALL children, regardless of their family’s economic situation?

A child’s creativity could be nurtured by using materials otherwise destined for the landfill .
Small creations could help improve children’s self-esteem and provide colorful home decorations.

While children are occupied with various creative activities under the watchful eyes of organizers, parents would then be able to browse unencumbered in nearby shops or run quick errands — and potentially increase their average length of stay and total spend within the shopping mall, to the benefit of retailers.

These types of multi-purpose corners within the shopping malls could not only serve as Kids’ Zones during the weekends, but also transform into rent-free pop-up shops for local artists and designers to gain exposure and sell their creations on weekdays, while children are at school. Supply cabinets, tables and chairs, perimeter kids fences, and mats used within these area could be lightweight, portable and fitted into wheeled units to allow for quick deployment and tear-down, in addition to facilitating off-site transportation and storage as necessary.

Relative to its operation, there would be multiple issues to resolve in such an undertaking, including:

  • Liability & Insurance (i.e. if a child gets hurt, have the parents signed a waiver?)
  • Hygiene and disease prevention precautions
  • Opening hours and parent tracing (ensuring parents pick up children in a timely manner)
  • Vetting of volunteers relative to child safety
  • Security and ensuring children don’t run off during activities

Could such a social enterprise be supported by the Government? Could the Hong Kong Jockey Club become involved? Could these types of children outreach programs fulfill the CSR objectives of the shopping mall owners and management companies?

Could Hong Kong’s shopping malls be transformed into a more inclusive community gathering area catering to kids, instead of just a retail proposition?

HAPPY VALLEY RACECOURSE FACELIFT

OBSERVATION: As one of Hong Kong’s key sporting venues, the west facade of the Happy Valley Racecourse is considered by many as an eyesore and does nothing to promote the appeal of horse racing to the public or visiting tourists.

SOLUTION: Provide a new vibrant and colorful facade along the highly visible west facade of the Happy Valley Racecourse to help visually reposition the facility, while reflecting the excitement and drama of one of Hong Kong’s signature sports.

Countless drivers along Happy Valley’s Wong Nai Chung Road, and the 60,000 daily vehicles using the Aberdeen tunnel pass along the imposing edge of the Happy Valley Racecourse stands, and are assaulted by one of the most depressing building facades in the city, which might be mistaken for a deteriorating industrial complex.

What if … the HKSAR Government and the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) undertook a facelift of this major sporting venue in a bid to help improve the city’s battered tourism image? While the HKJC likely has vast financial resources at its disposal to undertake such an improvement, imagine how the perception of horse racing could be improved through a new colorful facade that captures all of the speed, excitement, and drama of one of the city’s most renowned sports — all while helping to improve Hong Kong’s tourism image?

BEFORE

The existing facade of the Happy Valley Racecourse — which has likely been cobbled together over the years — does very little to passively promote horse racing to the general public.

AFTER

What if the Happy Valley Racecourse were to have a “facelift” that captures the excitement and drama of horse-racing, while providing visual interest to the tens of thousands of commuters who pass this imposing facade each day? Graphic by Thomas Schmidt.

Could a new system of powder-coated aluminum spandrels and decorative panels, or other low-impact applied treatments be installed at the existing facade, that would be acceptable to the Building Department? The solution should be as low-maintenance as possible, emphasize durability, and allow access to the existing facade and its existing fenestration and mechanical equipment installations.

Such a “facelift” could have a positive impact on tourism in Hong Kong, improve the image of the HKJC, further elevate horse racing as one of the city’s premiere sporting activities, and provide visual interest for the traveling public in an often bleak urban environment. The new facade design could include the entire perimeter of the complex to varying degrees, while incorporating existing facade improvements located at ground level entry locations. Could the design of the facade be based upon a winning entry of a local design competition that showcases the talent of the city’s students, designers, and architects?

While some might propose a knee jerk solution of installing massive LED screens or towering revenue-generating billboards to conceal the existing facade, the public outcry and resulting light pollution would likely negate any benefits. A more artistic solution should be considered.

Such a dramatic visual improvement to the city’s built environment in such a high visibility area, could be a win-win situation for multiple stakeholders.

TOURISM IDEAS: ACCOMMODATION

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 – ACCOMMODATION:

HOTELS:

Hong Kong boasts some of the finest hotels in the world, many of which have eye-watering room rates and have enjoyed record levels of high occupancy over the long term. While the city has a wide range of quality of lodging products, there is often a shortfall of affordable options for the budget traveler. Could new targeted room products be created throughout the territory?

  • Budget Hotels: Could additional affordable high-quality hotels be rolled out within the guesthouse and budget sector?
  • Capsule Hotels: Found throughout Japan; could this space-saving concept of microhotels and individual sleeping pods be imported for use in Hong Kong?
  • Hostels: Could there be an affordable urban product to offer backpackers as an alternative to Chungking Mansions?
  • Guesthouses: Could new affordable rural guesthouses be created in the New Territories through the redevelopment of abandoned villages?

RESORTS:

Despite Hong Kong’s extensive coastline and extensive number of small islands, traditional resort hotels throughout the territory are surprisingly few in number.

  • Island Resorts: Could new boutique island resort hotels be developed on some of the smaller outlying islands? Could these be positioned as “urban getaways,” encourage local staycations and keep tourism dollars within the city? These could range from simple waterfront guesthouses, to more elaborate exclusive self-sufficient beach resorts that occupy an entire small island.
  • Urban Resorts: Could more “urban resorts” be created that similarly cater to visitors as well as residents? Can more environments created in the middle of the city to escape the hustle and bustle?
  • Rural Resorts: Could vast tracts of land in the New Territories be sensitively redeveloped to provide a series of unique rural resorts?
  • Beach Resorts: Could a new destination resort at Guishan Island finally provide Hong Kong with elusive beach resorts that open onto beautiful white sand beaches? Or will Hong Kongers be forced to travel to Hainan Island for this kind of experience?

NEW LODGING TYPES:

Major “disruptors” to the traditional tourism lodging industry, which include Airbnb, Couch Surfing, and other systems of private accommodation, has yet to be clearly addressed by the Hong Kong authorities.

  • Airbnb: Is Airbnb technically legal in Hong Kong? Sydney, Australia has developed a set of rules that sensibly limit, but allow Airbnb — could Hong Kong adopt such a strategy? This important category of accommodation must be addressed sooner or later by the Government — and the time is now.
  • Couch Surfing: Could this method of accommodation be made more acceptable to residents, management companies and the Government?

VILLAGE REDEVELOPMENT:

The sprawling New Territories of Hong Kong could be described as a chaotic mess of agricultural land, existing and abandoned villages, brownfield sites and illegal dumping sites. While there are picturesque areas, other areas resemble third-world conditions and arguably shatter Hong Kong’s tourism image. The widely-criticized “Small House Policy” further complicates the situation relative to land ownership, social issues, and redevelopment potential. Could the New Territories be a viable area for new tourism accommodation?

  • Small House Policy: Could the Small House Policy be amended and a bold new master plan provided for the New Territories relative to tourism? Could many of Hong Kong’s dilapidated “lost villages” be rebuilt and be repositioned for use as retreats for extended stays by both residents and tourists? How might existing villages be transformed?
  • Farmstays: Could vast areas of the New Territories be “cleaned up” to provide small-scale agricultural production coupled with farmstays and guesthouses for both residents and visitors to participate in traditional Southern China agricultural practices, with farm-to-table restaurants? Could local resident staycations be promoted by enabling Hong Kong’s children to have a more immersive educational experience to learn about where their food actually comes from — instead of a brief two-hour school field trip?
  • Retreats: There is always a demand for corporate, private and even spiritual retreats which allow Hong Kong residents to escape the noise and chaos to concentrate and focus in a tranquil environment. Could redeveloped villages fulfill this demand?
  • Backpacker Hostels: While there are existing hostels sprinkled through obscure corners of the territory, could more hostels be created that cater to international backpackers and local school groups?
  • Trailwalking Huts: Could some of the abandoned villages along the famed MacLehose Trail be redeveloped into a system of Trailwalking Huts to cater to multi-day walks? This is common in England’s Lake District, Nepal’s trekking areas and countless other areas through the world, could this be accomplished in Hong Kong?
  • Grassroots Hoteliers: Could the development of village areas result in a new wave of “grassroots hoteliers,” which improves tourism in the New Territories while helping to alleviate poverty and improving Hong Kong’s social ills? Could more lodging tourism dollars trickle directly down to local land owners, instead of being directed to the city’s largest developers and hotel owners? Could it be time to explore wealth redistribution within the tourism sector and reduce the city’s shameful GINI coefficient?

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.

TOURISM IDEAS: FOOD & FUNCTIONS

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 – FOOD & FUNCTIONS:

the HARBOURFRONT:

The most glaring missed tourism opportunity in Hong Kong remains the under-utilization of the frontage of Victoria Harbour. Both the Hong Kong Island and Kowloon waterfronts faces similar issues of fragmentation, difficult public access, and under-utilization.

  • Redevelopment Plan: Could a comprehensive redevelopment plan and the creation of a new waterfront promenade along the north coast of Hong Kong island have a seismic effect on tourism? Any redevelopment of these areas needs to be holistic and include provisions for food and beverage, activities, events, and recreation.
  • Flexibility in Use: Could sections of the harbourfront have flexibility in use — whether military or commercial — yet allow public access during the majority of the time?
  • Commission: Could the existing Harbourfront Commission be further empowered by the Government to be a key driver and decision maker in the redevelopment of this precious asset to stimulate tourism?

food& BEVERAGE OUTLETS:

Hong Kong has arguably one of the best “food scenes” on the planet with countless outlets — ranging from the humble Dai Pai Dong to Michelin-starred restaurants — and outstanding local cuisine which could be further leveraged relative to tourism. Yet, Hong Kongers and others throughout the region regularly flock to Taiwan and Japan for food-based holidays.

  • Consumer Confidence: Could Hong Kong better compete with other international cities through new food hygiene rating schemes?
  • Food Districts: Could the creation of new “food districts” and other promotional activities further bolster visitor confidence and encourage food-based holidays in Hong Kong?
  • Alfresco Dining: Could antiquated Government regulations be amended to provide more flexibility in back of house size / supporting facility requirements in order to offer and encourage year-round alfresco dining throughout the city?
  • F&B Loyalty Cards: Could there be a new stored-value loyalty cards, similar to the Octopus, that could provide visitors with discounts across each of the city’s F&B outlets, and provides points for redemption at select airport retail outlets?

LOCAL BEVERAGES:

Hong Kong’s Craft Beer scene has increased greatly over the past decade and could still yet see exponential growth matching global trends.

  • Local Brewers: Could aspiring and existing local brewers be incentivized or funded to increase product diversity across the city?
  • Rice Wine: Could there be new spins on other local traditional alcoholic beverages, including rice wine, that might result in unique beverages to entice visitors to the city?
  • Tea-based beverages: Taiwan and Macao have famed milk-tea beverages which draws visitors, could Hong Kong develop its own unique new tea-based beverages to provide a point of differentiation?
  • Festivals: Could Craft Beer festivals and conferences become a new international tourism driver with the Government encouraging new events to supplement the existing various independent events?

FUNCTIONS:

Hong Kong’s Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) industry has taken a beating due to recent widespread cancellations, coupled with a more consistent problem of a lack of exhibition areas throughout the territory. The Hong Kong Convention Centre and SkyCity near Hong Kong International Airport are two of the larger venues catering to large-scale events, but how might these venues be supplemented?

  • Kai Tak: Could new accessible conference facilities and transport links be provided at Kai Tak for medium to large-scale events? If so, could these be located within walking distance of the new Kai Tak and Kwa Wan MTR stations? Location of such facilities at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal with intermittent monorail access might result in more challenging access issues.
  • Cyberport: Could the flailing Cyberport be provided with a new MTR stop and waterfront access, and be selectively renovated to become a new destination for smaller scale conferences?
  • Floating Venues: Could large sand barges be retrofitted with large clear-span structures that provide large “Ballrooms on the Water” for indoor events? These could be moored to select protected edges of the harbour during calm weather for special waterfront events, and provide unparalleled views of the skyline. Is the idea really that far-fetched?

NIGHTLIFE:

Hong Kong’s nightlife is legendary and could be further leveraged and promoted. Sadly, a large percentage of clubs and pubs end up going out of business due to unaffordable rents, despite their popularity.

  • Rent Flexibility: Could landlords provide more business-friendly strategies for struggling bar owners to receive rent reductions in excessively-priced entertainment districts such as Lan Kwai Fong to minimize the current “revolving door” of pubs that stay in business for just a few short months, are forcibly gutted for the next tenant to come in and fit out, and just adds to Hong Kong’s landfill woes?
  • Marketing Alliances: Could new marketing alliances between independent restaurants and bars be created that provide loyalty cards and reward schemes across a large number of outlets? Could there be a Hong Kong Beer Challenge where patrons collect a number of stamps on a card across a number of bars across town and compete for awards?
  • Like Hong Kong’s nightlife, the possibilities are endless …

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.

TOURISM IDEAS: LAND RECREATION

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.

TOURISM IDEAS: MARINE RECREATION

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 – MARINE RECREATION:

Hong Kong has 263 islands within its territory and extensive amounts of coastline to allow access to marine recreation activities. Could Hong Kong’s existing water activities be further enhanced to put more focus on water sports for tourists?

NON-MOTORIZED water sports:

Hong Kong’s tradition of Dragonboating is well recognized around the world, and a wide range of human-powered water sports are currently available at many locations.

  • New Facilities: Could new facilities be constructed to encourage more opportunities for sailing, sea kayaking, paddleboarding, canoeing, and other human-propelled marine sports — which might spur new international water sports competitions to increase visitor arrivals?
  • Regattas: Could new large scale international sailing regattas be held in Hong Kong?
  • Wind Sports: Could kitesurfing and windsurfing be encouraged in certain windy locations, coupled with affordable beachfront accommodation?
  • Sculling: Could there be new sculling areas within protected waterways that could facilitate new international rowing competitions?
  • Dragonboating: While firmly entrenched in many local residents’ lifestyles, could Dragonboating become more accessible to transient tourists with limited time in Hong Kong?

MOTORIZED WATER SPORTS:

Various speedboats and motorized watercraft provide opportunities for paragliding, wakeboarding, and water skiing, among other adrenaline-producing activities.

  • Jet Skis: Could jetski parks be created with challenging obstacle courses for international competitions?
  • Flyboarding: Could “flyboarding”, using waterjet boots strapped to one’s feet, be better promoted as a unique visitor experience?
  • Master Plan: Could a new marine master plan establish use zones to adequately separate conflicting non-motorized and motorized activities?

yachting:

Hong Kong is a popular stopover for yachties sailing throughout the Pacific; however, there are only 8 marinas and yacht clubs capable of mooring large yachts and providing support services. Despite having over 10,000 registered leisure boats in Hong Kong, there are only half as many moorings and dry berths available.

  • Marina Construction: Could the creation of new marinas and yacht clubs help position Hong Kong as Asia-Pacific’s premiere yachting center?
  • Liveaboards: Relative to the city’s housing woes, could existing laws be amended to allow for the establishment of new yachting communities and legalization of liveaboard boats for residents and long-stay visitors? It works in Sausalito, California, USA and countless other cities around the world — why couldn’t it also work here?
  • Bespoke Tours: Could there be ultra-luxury yachts provided for multi-day catered bespoke experiences that might be linked with some of Hong Kong’s top luxury hotels?
  • Typhoon Shelters: Could some of the city’s under-used typhoon shelters be converted into public marinas?
  • Image: Can the yachting industry in Hong Kong shake off its elitist image by being more accessible to the public and tourists?
  • Cargo Basins: If Hong Kong is in fact losing its status as a major ocean cargo handling center, could some of these cargo areas be redeveloped into recreational boating areas? Would this also have a positive impact on Hong Kong’s water quality?

DIVING:

Despite the dubious water quality surrounding Hong Kong, the resilience of marine ecosystems and the emergence of remarkable nearby diving opportunities have surprised local divers and marinebiologists. There are currently only a handful of protected marine parks, which result in an uphill battle relative to increasing biodiversity.

  • Master Plan: Could diving and marine conservation efforts be increased through the formulation of a new Marine Tourism Master Plan prescribing specific-use areas throughout Hong Kong’s waters?
  • Marine Parks: Could the establishment of new additional protected marine conservation parks further increase marine biodiversity to facilitate diving and snorkeling?
  • Wreck Dives: Despite visibility issues, are there wartime shipwrecks in Hong Kong’s waters that could be better marketed for technical wreck diving?
  • Dive Center: Could a new resort development at Guishan Island provide a center for diving and snorkeling excursions throughout the Pearl River Delta?

JUNKS & TOURS:

A local favorite in summer months, Junks provide unforgettable tours and recreational opportunities for residents and visitors to Hong Kong.

  • Water Tour Centers: Could new dedicated water tour centers be provided along the edges of Victoria Harbour catering to visitors, which are easily accessible via a new harbourfront pedestrian promenade?
  • Island Hopping: Could new island-hopping tours be provided to some of the hundreds of accessible islands throughout Hong Kong, supported by appropriate amounts of affordable accommodation on outlying islands? Could a visitor extend their urban city experience by spending a week hopping between different islands, not unlike the Greek Islands?
  • Booze Cruise: Could new nightly booze cruises offer an over-water alternative to Hong Kong’s land-based bar scene? Could these be affiliated with existing pubs and clubs and extend their brand? Could such cruises actually provide decent local craft beer instead of mass-produced watery brands?

CRUISES:

Open since 2013, Hong Kong’s Kai Tak Cruise Terminal is often criticized for its under-use, poor connectivity to public transport, and insufficient retail and food & beverage options — some have even labelled the complex as a “white elephant.” Arriving passengers frequently complain of being stranded at the terminal upon arrival due to serious public transportation issues, which provides a negative perception of the city as a tourism destination. New MTR stations to the west of the terminal may help alleviate some of these issues.

  • New MTR: Will access and the performance of this prime waterfront area be enhanced through the proposed new monorail to the existing Kwun Tong MTR and new Kai Tak MTR stations, both of which are located almost 2-3 km away?
  • Ferry Access: Could a new cross-harbour ferry terminal and water taxis provide easy access to this area from both Tsim Sha Tsui and points along Hong Kong Island to provide access to both arriving cruise passengers, as well as Hong Kong residents to visit this largely passenger-only facility?
  • Future Markets: Could an increase in cruise arrivals also allow Hong Kong to become a more popular cruising destination in the process?
  • Boating Center: Could the Kwun Tong Typhoon Shelter on the north side of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal be transformed into a water sports and boating center?
  • New Cruise Ship Stop: In addition to the facilities at Kai Tak, could a new resort development at Guishan Island provide another stopover for the Asian cruise industry?

HONG KONG GEOPARK

The geological wonders of Hong Kong’s northeastern ocean areas could be considered one of the territory’s hidden gems. The UNESCO-listed Hong Kong Global Geopark of China covers an area of 50 sq km, with many features formed by volcanic activity over 140 million years ago.

  • Tours: Could environmentally-sensitive tours and transportation to these areas be increased and better promoted to bolster ecotourism activities within Hong Kong?
  • Ferry: Sai Kung typically serves as a jumping-off point for exploring the Geopark, but tourists often cannot even access Sai Kung along its constantly congested roads. Could a new ferry service to Sai Kung be provided to benefit local residents as well as facilitate tourist access?
  • School Trips: Could the Government subsidize local and regional educational school trips to this geological paradise as part of the STEAM curriculum and attract international student field trips?
  • Science Tours: Apart from sporadic guided outings by the Royal Geographical Society Hong Kong and other special interest groups, could scientific educational tours be provided for tourists visiting the territory?
  • Kayaking: Could there be more day and nighttime kayaking in and around the Geopark?

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.

TOURISM IDEAS: RETAIL

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 – RETAIL:

LUXURY GOODS:

Luxury brands in Hong Kong have enjoyed a high degree of success in recent years from affluent Mainland Chinese visitors; however, obtaining genuine articles is becoming more widespread north of the border.

  • Outlook: Will this retail sector shrink in the future and be supplanted by something else over the longer term?
  • Alliances: Could existing luxury retail brands create new alliances with hotels and restaurants to extend and strengthen their brand?

HANDICRAFTS:

Hong Kong is no longer the manufacturing center it once was, but are there still opportunities to produce unique products that appeal to visitors? Tai O and other outlying islands produce shrimp paste and other locally-produced agricultural products which often result in hungry tourists making pilgrimages to these picturesque corners of the territory.

  • Local Products: Could there be a resurgence of “Made in Hong Kong” unique food products and handicrafts that are produced locally?
  • Incentives: Could the Government encourage more locally-produced products?
  • Branding: Could some of the outlying islands brand themselves better through locally-produced island-specific products that would stimulate visitation?

HONG KONG BAZAAR:

Hong Kong has pockets of thriving night markets across the city, including the Ladies’ Market and Stanley Market, among many others.

  • Bazaar: Could a permanent “grand bazaar” be created in a section of the city that would rival Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar, or Bangkok’s famed night markets?
  • Universal Appeal: Could such a hive of activity have universal appeal and become an attraction for both residents and tourists alike?

COUNTERFEITS:

A major incentive for Mainland Chinese visitors to shop in Hong Kong is the confidence of purchasing genuine and legitimate goods in a land awash with counterfeit products north of the border. However, once that confidence disappears, it is gone forever.

  • Current Efforts: Could the Government increase its already admirable efforts in stamping out counterfeit goods across the city?
  • Penalties: Could new harsher penalties be implemented across the retail sector to discourage the sales of counterfeit goods?
  • Screening: Could new minimally invasive advanced screening technologies be deployed at Hong Kong airport and numerous immigration points to automatically screen incoming luggage?
  • Trading: Could the current controversial parallel trading activities at Hong Kong’s northern border be better addressed?

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.

TOURISM IDEAS: ARTS & PERFORMANCE

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 – ARTS & PERFORMANCE:

Hong Kong has no shortage of stimulating arts and performance-related events; however, a key limitation is often a lack of appropriate performance venues.

WEST KOWLOON CULTURAL DISTRICT:

A new 40 HA waterfront site in West Kowloon promises to be a new hub for arts and culture in Hong Kong, despite being mired in controversy over the past 20 years. While the Freespace and the Xiqu Centre performance venues were recently completed, a number of other complementary projects are currently under construction, or in the design phase in what some describe as an opaque master plan. While the jury is still out as to how this hotly-anticipated area will eventually perform and affect tourism, the further promotion of arts and culture in Hong Kong is a step in the right direction.

  • Access: What are the access options for this new development? Will tourists be able to easily access this area?
  • Waterfront Promenade: Will the evolving development include a public waterfront promenade linking this area to the Star Ferry and Tsim Sha Tsui? If not, why not?
  • Ferry Pier: Will a new ferry pier be provided to facilitate cross-harbour access for large volumes of people?
  • Water Taxis: Could there be a series of water taxis providing additional waterfront access to the development?
  • Connectivity: Will this “hub” suffer the same fate as the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal — a destination with insufficient public transport links?

OUTDOOR MUSIC:

Music festivals have the potential to draw significant international crowds; however, Hong Kong suffers from an acute shortage of performance venues, with many big acts bypassing Hong Kong completely on their world tours. Love it or hate it, the one-off star-studded Harbourfest outdoor music festival in 2003 was arguably one of the most memorable outdoor music events in the history of Hong Kong’s music scene, despite its many controversies. Nowadays, the independently-organized 3-day Clockenflap music festival continues to be a popular annual event, with its central waterfront location providing convenient access and a glittering backdrop of Hong Kong’s skyline.

  • Central Waterfront: Could a section of the Central Waterfront area become a dedicated outdoor performance space with permanent toilets and relevant infrastructure, instead of the constant reliance on foul-smelling portable toilets?
  • Funding: Could government incentives and funding be provided to promote a series of year-round outdoor concerts that could draw the biggest acts in the music industry?
  • Cantopop Scene: Could many Cantopop concerts be held in an alternate outdoor venue on the waterfront as opposed to a stuffy stadium?
  • Classical: Could Hong Kong have its own “symphony beneath the stars?”
  • Parks: Could Hong Kong’s Parks host a wide range of outdoor musical events?
  • Urban Music Festivals: Sections of Central are shut down on Sundays to accommodate the city’s domestic helpers; could a similar temporary pedestrianization of the city’s core provide a venue for a weekend music festival with multiple stages?

TRADITIONAL CHINESE PERFORMANCES:

Notwithstanding the evolving West Kowloon Cultural Centre, could there be additional incentives provided for the city’s local creative sector to study and perform traditional Chinese music and dance, which could culminate in a wide variety of performances and competitions that would attract tourists to the city?

  • Incentives: Could the Government better incentivize local students and teachers to promote and play traditional Chinese musical instruments, instead of the ubiquitous piano and violin?
  • Venues: Could a wider variety of traditional performances be provided in venues and areas with higher tourist densities?
  • Free Music: Could there be a series of free daily musical and theater performances promoted throughout Hong Kong’s shopping centers, outdoor public areas and parks?
  • Surprises: On a local level, could Guzheng and Pipa players add life to hidden Dai Pai Dongs and create surprises for tourists around every corner, incentivizing them to further explore the city’s fascinating neighborhoods?

LOCAL BANDS:

Hong Kong has a vibrant local contemporary music scene, but sadly an acute lack of performance venues is a major limiting factor. While local music promoters work tirelessly to promote the city’s homegrown musicians, venues like The Wanch and the now-closed Grappa’s Cellar are only among a handful of venues showcasing local talent — with many bands resorting to “illegal” performances in the dark corners of the city’s industrial buildings, unbeknownst to the average music-seeking tourist.

  • Industrial Gigs: Could regulations be relaxed to allow for large spaces within industrial building to be used for musical performances, provided that local fire and life safety requirements could be fulfilled?
  • New Venues: Could more permanent music-based venues be constructed to showcase local talent?
  • Promotion: Could the Government more actively promote the local music scene and create local music festivals that might appeal to an international audience?
  • Incentives: Could aspiring and existing musicians be provided with incentives and subsidies to contribute to the city’s music scene and its positive impact on tourism?

BUSKERS:

Local and transient “buskers” are a regular feature of many global cities and adds to the tourism experience. However, Hong Kong has had mixed reactions to these types of public street performers — who range from up-and-coming talented musicians to repulsive characters screeching off-key KTV tunes through deafening loudspeakers at passersby. When does outdoor street performance cross the line from being entertainment to becoming a public nuisance and a source of noise pollution?

  • Curation: Could there be a licensing and vetting system put in place to provide a curated selection of the best performers at select areas, within prescribed hours while establishing maximum volume levels to maintain artistic expression throughout the city, yet respect society’s limits on what might be considered a nuisance?
  • Incentives: Could talented traveling musicians be provided with free hotel accommodation in exchange for performances during their visit to Hong Kong?
  • Venues: Could a new harbourfront promenade provide acoustically-separated zones for dozens of buskers along its length? Could there be non-residential districts that feature high concentrations of buskers?

THEATER & STAGE PERFORMANCE:

Hong Kong has a varied theatrical performance scene, which like other forms of entertainment in this space-starved city, has many performers clamoring for purpose-built venues to practice their craft in a professional environment. Could Hong Kong have a thriving performance scene like New York City that draws international visitors?

  • Stand-Up Comedy: Soho’s Take Out Comedy has arguably had a massive positive impact on nurturing local talent to try their hand at stand-up comedy after its launch of the city’s first full-time comedy club more than a decade ago. Could there be incentives created to encourage the creation of more live performance venues, and subsidize events to create demand for local talent?
  • Theatre: A dearth of venues result in waiting lists months long — could there be more black-box performance venues constructed for various types of theatrical and dramatic performances at the local level?

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.

TOURISM IDEAS: CULTURE & HERITAGE

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 – CULTURE & HERITAGE:

WALKING TOURS:

Walking tours throughout Hong Kong currently include fascinating guided tours by Jason Wordie in addition to other independent operators, tours operated through the Hong Kong Tourism Bureau, as well as a fragmented collection of self-guided tours.

  • Expansion: Could the Government better promote and incentivize existing and new walking tours across larger sections of Hong Kong? Could walking tours include not only Hong Kong’s urban areas, but rural areas as well?
  • Referrals: Could the Tourism Bureau maintain a database of quality tour guides for referral to visitors?
  • Maps: Could a new comprehensive set of district maps be created, which highlight self-guided walking tours for tourists?

LOCAL-FOR-A-DAY EXPERIENCE:

In the aftermath of SARS in 2002, many local residents started conducting unlicensed tours for visitors of their daily routines to stimulate tourism.

  • Licensing: Could a similar initiative be formalized and licensed that enables visitors to have an inside look at the day of an ordinary Hong Konger?
  • Tradition: Could visitors ride along with local fishermen to experience a traditional lifestyle, or observe a traditional craftsman practicing his craft?

ARCHITECTURAL TOURS:

Hong Kong is a treasure trove of historic and modern architecture that is often left for tourists to explore solo through self-guided tours. Could more specialized architectural tours be provided?

  • Incentives: Could Government funding be provided to local architecture and planning institutes to provide knowledgeable institute members to serve as guides for in-depth architectural tours catering to tourists and members of the public? Other major global cities have such initiatives, why can’t Hong Kong?
  • Employment: Could Architecture students at the city’s universities receive income from guiding such visitor tours?
  • Art & Architecture: Could there architectural sketch tours to allow visiting architects and other creative types to better appreciate and undersand the city’s architecture through in-situ sketching?

HISTORIC PRESERVATION:

While the Government has had a relatively poor track record related to architectural historic preservation, there remain many gems scattered throughout Hong Kong which have survived the test of time.

  • Tours: Could new architectural or historical tours be formulated around some of the city’s last remaining treasures?
  • Codes: Could there be a major transformation of the city’s historic preservation policies that confer higher degrees of protection to graded structures, and incentivize conservation and adaptive-reuse efforts relative to tourism?
  • Heritage Trails: Could new Heritage Trails link many of these scattered architectural preservation sites together?
  • Villages: Could new village tours be provided in New Territories that allow tourists to visit lost villages that have been restored or preserved?

TEMPLES & RELIGIOUS STRUCTURES:

Hong Kong has a wide variety of traditional temples and religious structures scattered across the city.

  • Information: Could visits to temples and religious structures be made more accessible to tourists through guided tours, consistency in printed matter, lists of “do’s and don’ts,” and other educational materials?
  • Tours: Could these sites be incorporated into various architectural and walking tours? Could new tours be created around the city’s mosques, churches, temples, and other places of worship?
  • Retreats: Could there be new spiritual retreats established throughout the city for visiting tourists? Could there be new meditation and spirituality centers established in Hong Kong’s more remote locations?

FESTIVALS:

Hong Kong has no shortage of traditional Chinese festivals and associated holidays; however, how many of these are accessible by and understood by tourists?

  • Tours: Could there be new initiatives to provide guided Festival Tours for smaller groups seeking an educational and cultural experience?
  • Outreach: Could overseas tour itineraries for incoming visitors be better centered around annual Hong Kong festivals?

HERITAGE TRAILS:

There are existing fragmented self-guided “heritage trails” in some of Hong Kong’s older districts and New Territories.

  • Existing Trails: Could the existing trails be better organized and promoted?
  • New Scheme: Could a comprehensive scheme to facilitate access and identification of these Heritage Trails be enacted, along with the establishment of new Heritage Trails? This initiative should include consistency in maps, graphics, and signage across the entire city.

MILITARY HISTORY:

Hong Kong has had a unique role in various conflicts throughout history which are still manifested in the built environment, ranging from the remnants of artillery batteries and tunnels along Hong Kong’s coastline to military cemeteries overlooking Chai Wan.

  • Museum: Could the little-visited Museum of Coastal Defence become a hub for new tours and itineraries formulated around wartime remnants and provide new programs catering to war buffs and other interested in Hong Kong’s military history?
  • Cemeteries: Could regular tours of the city’s military cemetery be provided for international visitors whom may have loved ones buried in Hong Kong?

BAMBOO CONSTRUCTION:

While Asian bamboo construction is currently concentrated in the bamboo hot spots of Indonesia and the Philippines, Hong Kong has a long history of constructing temporary bamboo structures, and of course the ubiquitous construction scaffolding found across the city.

  • Courses: Could new educational bamboo design and construction courses be offered in Hong Kong to pass on this art form and traditional method of construction to an international audience and aspiring architects interested in sustainability?
  • Scaffolding: Could visitors visit a bamboo scaffolding center to learn how bamboo scaffolding is created and erected?
  • Training: Could new generations of scaffolding workers be trained in Hong Kong and provided with work opportunities in other regional cities that accept bamboo scaffolding practices?

MEDICAL TOURISM:

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) is daily aspect of life in Hong Kong, especially among the city’s older generations.

  • Tourism: Could local practitioners and therapies be better promoted to the international community to spur medical tourism to Hong Kong?
  • Products: Could the expertise of local practitioners be leveraged to provide further educational programs, and research & development into the manufacturing of natural health products?
  • Therapies: Could Hong Kong offer a “one-stop-shop” hospital, like Bangkok’s Bumrungrad Hospital, and become a global center for TCM therapies for visitors from around the world?

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.

TOURISM IDEAS: INFORMATION & ACCESS

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 – INFORMATION & ACCESS:

TOURIST INFORMATION:

Tourist Information Offices in Hong Kong are primarily limited to major transportation interchanges. While tourists increasingly rely on their smartphones for tourist and wayfinding information, some degree of human contact with a personal touch is still needed.

  • Offices: Like many European cities, could Hong Kong have more Tourist Information Offices sprinkled across the city which are accessible by visitors on foot?
  • Rating System: Could the city’s restaurants be made to adopt a mandatory Food Hygiene Rating System to better inform tourists of the quality level of a particular dining establishment?

WAYFINDING:

Hong Kong’s MTR stations offer excellent vicinity maps with surrounding attractions, but outside of these areas visitors are often out of luck.

  • Maps: Could a new system of exterior neighborhood maps be erected in areas not served by the MTR to provide visitors with an overview of the vicinity and its attractions?
  • Road Crossings: Could new speed bumps be provided at pedestrian crossings that calm traffic and prevent tourists from being mowed over by speeding traffic? The existing life-saving practice of indicating the direction of traffic, and which way for pedestrians to look, should be implemented throughout the territory.
  • Technology: Could new smartphone apps be created to assist visitors in exploring the city?

TRANSPORT SYSTEMS:

Hong Kong arguably has one of the most comprehensive public transportation networks on the planet. However, there are aspects which could be greatly improved to cater to first time visitors.

  • Airline Seating: Could arriving air travelers begin their “Hong Kong Experience” on the right foot by being provided with mood-based seating arrangements for incoming flights?
  • Bus Stops: Could the existing confusing array of different bus stop markers and schedules be redesigned into a more legible and graphically-consistent format, and posted on fewer poles?
  • Bus Information: Could some bus stops have digital kiosks with screens containing route information, typhoon warning indicators, and other real-time bus arrival data to assist visitors in getting around?
  • Innovations: Could new autonomous hive-technology transport systems whisk visitors between various attractions?
  • Tunnel Fares: Could tunnel tolls be equalized to reduce cross-harbour travel times for tourists so they can make the most of their visit to Hong Kong? No one likes to be stuck in traffic when they’re only visiting for a day or two.
  • Rickshaws: Could the venerable rickshaw make a comeback and be used as a unique transportation experience for tourists? Could a new harbourfront promenade become a centerpiece for rickshaw rides for tourists to get a taste of old Hong Kong?
  • Cross-Harbour Taxis: Could the irritating — and technically illegal — practice of many taxi drivers refusing passengers passage between Kowloon and Hong Kong Island at their sole discretion be abolished?
  • Taxi Octopus: Could taxis be outfitted with Octopus readers to offer visitors a seamless cashless method of exploring the city?
  • Taxi GPS: Could taxis be installed with GPS tracking systems to minimize tourists from being fleeced by unscrupulous drivers?
  • Water Taxis: Could there be new water taxis plying the length of Victoria Harbour to increase transportation options for visitors?
  • Kowloon Trams: Could a new tram system be constructed in Kowloon to help visitors explore these populous neighborhoods?
  • Sai Kung Ferry: Could a new ferry service to Sai Kung be provided to further open up exploration of Hong Kong’s Geopark for visitors?
  • MTR Loop: Could the MTR Island Line be extended to form a loop to provide for more efficient visitor access to various attractions?

PUBLIC TOILETS:

The embarrassing lack of public toilets throughout “Asia’s World City” catches many first-time visitors by surprise.

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.

OUTDOOR PUBLIC ART

OBSERVATION: Apart from a minority of well-designed environments within the urban areas, much of Hong Kong has a disappointing amount of public art.

SOLUTION: Provide stimulus for the city to embark on a public art campaign to create a built environment that inspires both residents and visitors.

Outdoor public art is a key ingredient in any well-designed aspect of the built environment throughout the world — whether it is a small outdoor residential plaza, a secret graffiti-filled alley, or major civic space located within the heart of the city. Some of Hong Kong’s property developers have done an admirable job of incorporating public art into their developments, and the MTR and other public entities continue to inspire through an ever-expanding program of public art. Can we keep the ball rolling?

A piece to experience and ponder at the MTR’s Sai Ying Pun station.
An exquisite sculpture of a traditional Chinese fisherman in a rarely-visited corner of Sai Ying Pun that instills a “sense of place” for visitors.
This sculpture of a dog at a residential area is a big hit with young children intuitively “taking it for a ride”.

Can outdoor public art throughout Hong Kong be increased through new Government initiatives?

Here are some ideas to get the creative juices flowing:

  • Create an aggressive public art campaign to beautify the far corners of Hong Kong and to inspire visitors and residents.
  • Apply the 80/20 rule, requiring 80% of outdoor public artwork to be commissioned by locally-based artists, with the remaining 20% by international artists. Why commission an artist in Frankfurt, pay for travel expenses, insurance and shipping, when Hong Kong has an incredible pool of talent in its own back yard?
  • Nurture Hong Kong’s aspiring artists, art schools and creative industries. How many disillusioned youth — who feel like they have no place in society — could be inspired through new creative careers and public recognition of their contributions to the city?
  • Could there be increased numbers of public art competitions to stimulate the creativity of individual and teams of local artists?
  • Could the permitted use of the city’s industrial buildings be amended to encourage artistic activities?
  • Could entire districts of Hong Kong become hotbeds of tasteful architectural graffiti?

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

Thomas Merton

Hong Kong needs to be re-invented. Perhaps it’s time for Hong Kong to get lost in order to find itself again?

PARTICIPATORY DESIGN

OBSERVATION: Much of Hong Kong’s planning and development happens behind closed doors with minimal consultation with the public.

SOLUTION: Encourage “participatory design” activities in all sectors of society to establish dialogue with residents and to better understand the needs of the end users.

Idea competitions, charettes, and placemaking work sessions are used across the world to engage the public and to arrive at innovative design solutions for the built environment. Unfortunately, Hong Kong’s often top-down development and planning approach, and lack of a clear long term vision leaves much to be desired.

IDEA COMPETITIONS:

Idea Competitions are an excellent and relatively affordable means of soliciting public feedback in the evolution of the built environment. As an example, this locally-produced winning entry in a 2008 idea competition for the redevelopment of the Central Police Station proposed the creation of a new hub for arts and culture revolving around historic preservation; this helped shape Government and public support for what would later become Tai Kwun a decade later.

PLACEMAKING WORKSHOPS

Some forward-thinking developers in Hong Kong, such as Swire Properties, have hosted a series of “placemaking” workshops which solicit creative ideas from the local residents who live within their developments. Residents of all ages are supplied with a small artbox and variety of arts and crafts materials to construct a vision of how they would like to see their community in the future. The collection of ideas — small artistic creations in their own right — are then exhibited in local shopping centers for feedback from a wider audience. This type of participatory process can be used by both developers and the Government in shaping future design and planning decisions related to the built environment.

Participants were supplied with a small artbox to construct the type of things they would like to see in their community. This example illustrated the desire for wide-open green spaces in which people could picnic.
An exhibition of “placemaking” entries from local residents at Cityplaza Shopping Centre in Taikoo Shing.

DESIGN CHARRETTES

Architects, planners and other design professionals from around the world often participate in design “charrettes” which seek to find collaborative design solutions within a very constrained amount of time. Design professionals often volunteer their time and expertise to help solve some of society’s more pressing problems on a probono basis. Within Hong Kong, the American Institute of Architects Hong Kong, and the Hong Kong Institute of Architects are two such organizations that frequently host such charrettes in an attempt to improve the built environment.

A roll of tracing paper and a bit of caffeine are often all that is required to get an architect’s creative juices flowing!

An increase in participatory design activities might help bridge the gap between what the people ACTUALLY want, and what the Government THINKS the people want in their built environment.

RETURN OF THE RICKSHAWS

OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s venerable rickshaws have almost completely vanished, despite their cultural and historical significance.

SOLUTION: Bring back the rickshaws by issuing new licenses and providing dedicated areas of travel along the harbourfront and other pedestrianized areas.

Can rickshaws be rescued before they disappear into oblivion?

Hong Kong’s rickshaws and their owners are a dying breed. In 1924, it was estimated that almost 3,500 rickshaws were in use throughout the territory, which have now dwindled to the last remaining license holder since the Government stopped issuing licenses in the 1970s.

  • Could the soon-to-be-extinct rickshaw industry be revived along the frontage of Victoria Harbour and other pedestrianized areas of Hong Kong?
  • While patrons of a rickshaw ride would likely be predominantly tourists, could this humble wheeled contraption also become a viable resident transport option for short hops along the flat harbourfront areas, especially if a new harbourfront pedestrian promenade could be developed?
  • Could new “pullers” hoping to get into shape be recruited as new license holders? Why jog along the harbourfront to get into shape when you could pull a rickshaw, make money, expand your social network, and get a better cardio workout?
  • Could a new line of high-performance rickshaws be created with ball-bearings, minimizing friction and maximizing speed?

Let’s get creative:

  • Could new rickshaw races through challenging obstacle courses be created to rival the annual Dragonboating races?
  • Could rickshaws be interfaced with computer / geocaching games where teams compete to collect points from various locations to bridge computer gaming with physical fitness?
  • What about a new “Hong Kong Challenge” — could a new ultramarathon team event be devised which incorporates Dragonboating, Rickshaw Pulling, Bun Tower Scrambling, and other endurance activities that are specific to Hong Kong, while celebrating the city’s unique characteristics, and attracting sporting enthusiasts from around the world?

While the film industry will always have a need for the occasional rickshaw for various productions, are there other possibilities to help keep the rickshaw from disappearing forever like many other aspects of Hong Kong’s vanishing heritage?

NEW TERRITORIES LOST VILLAGES

OBSERVATION: Abandoned traditional villages throughout Hong Kong’s New Territories have fallen into various states of decay, many of which are in ruins and shrouded with vegetation.

SOLUTION: Rebuild and revitalize these “lost villages” for residential or tourism use — could some of these redeveloped villages become new artist’s colonies or retreats for weekend staycations?

One of countless abandoned buildings scattered throughout the New Territories
Many abandoned buildings are slowly being swallowed up by nature

Hong Kong’s New Territories are littered with the remains of once inhabited traditional villages which have long since been abandoned. Land ownership issues are often complex and many of these former villages lack electricity, a water supply or waste treatment facilities. Some of these crumbling villages have become major eyesores for tourists and resident hikers, and often have become dumping grounds for all manners of waste from surrounding communities.

However, could the Government — in a public-private partnership — spearhead an effort to rebuild and revitalize some of the more accessible “lost villages” to function as temporary or permanent accommodation? Could some of these forgotten villages be redeveloped into affordable artist’s colonies, or spiritual retreats to escape the pressures of urban living? Could these villages become self-sufficient off-the-grid developments using sustainable energy solutions?

Could such revitalized villages also become an important piece in the tourism jigsaw puzzle by serving as a showcase for Hong Kong’s culture, history and traditions for both residents and visitors?

PUBLIC GREEN WALLS

OBSERVATION: Hong Kong’s often disappointing public spaces are sometimes bordered by mundane elements of the built environment that further demoralize residents who live there.

SOLUTION: Provide a network of public green walls to beautify the built environment, enhance residential communities, increase property values, assist in stormwater management, and purify the air.

This large retaining wall along Taikoo Shing Road faces a popular park fronting One Island East and epitomizes the concept of a “concrete jungle”.
Could this utilitarian retaining wall become a public green wall to beautify Taikoo Shing and potentially assist in stormwater management from the retaining wall’s weepholes? Could the plants help purify the air along this busy road?

ARCHITECTURAL GRAFITTI IN PLACEMAKING

OBSERVATION: Like many cities throughout the world, much of the urban architectural grafitti in Hong Kong is relegated to dark alleys and other areas out of public sight. Older buildings in certain districts, including Soho in the Mid-Levels and Wong Chuk Hang, have selectively embraced tasteful architectural grafitti with mixed success.

SOLUTION: Could building owners in select districts undergoing gentrification be incentivized to allow architectural graffiti as a part of a focused scheme to establish new creative and artistic hubs throughout the city, and drive tourism into those areas?

Global cities including New York City (USA), Bruges (Belgium), Valparaiso (Chile), and many others have provided much-needed architectural canvases for established and aspiring graffiti and mural artists. In many instances, these stunning works of public art have completely transformed dilapidated neighborhoods into new vibrant communities and reflected their unique history.

Hong Kong has isolated pockets of interesting architectural graffiti, but could these pockets be expanded within these same districts, or proposed in other ailing districts in a rejuvenation program to increase tourism and to promote Hong Kong’s creative and artistic scene? Could the local district councils spearhead efforts in their own neighborhoods? Could a neighborhood’s unique history be expressed in this form of public art before it is lost in the mists of time?

A breath of fresh air on the corner of Hong Kong’s Soho neighborhood.
One of the city’s most popular Instagram sites, just off of Hollywood Road, which has increased tourist foot traffic into this area.
An eye-catching surprise around every corner!
Hong Kong’s nondescript George’s Lane becomes a place to linger and explore.
An otherwise dark narrow alley off of Hollywood Road illuminated with a splash of urban life!
What’s real, and what’s not?
Clever advertising adding character to a Soho street.
An artist at work … could Hong Kong’s disenchanted youth be provided with opportunities to show off their natural talents and cultivate careers in art? Who needs representation in an art gallery when one can provide a street address to show off their work?

ISLAND EAST PEDESTRIANIZATION

OBSERVATION: Island East on Hong Kong Island has some outstanding pedestrianized zones, yet they are fragmented and disconnected — and most are devoid of al fresco dining due to much-criticized government regulations.

SOLUTION: Provide a continuous park-like pedestrianized zone linking the Quarry Bay and Tai Koo MTR Stations, emphasizing al fresco dining and food culture.

What if the excellent pedestrianized areas of Taikoo Shing and neighboring Island East were interconnected? What if a food-based pedestrian experience could be created stretching between the Quarry Bay and Taikoo MTR stations?

July 2019 proposal submitted to Swire Development to improve the pedestrian experience in the One Island East area. The proposal has yet to be acknowledged.