DRMumbai: For Hong Kong (HK), Mainland China, which contributes 76 per cent of total tourist arrivals, has been the mainstay as far as tourism is concerned. But now the country is looking beyond China, to tap short-haul destinations. Puneet Kumar, Head of Market Development, Hong Kong Tourism Board, talks about the action plan for this fiscal.
What is HK doing to attract tourists from other parts of the world apart from the Mainland?
Mainland has been our mainstay but we are now looking to tap other short-haul markets including Taiwan and South Korea. In 2018-19, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will continue to engage with the youth segment by collaborating with various trade partners to roll out special tour products. In India, we will work closely with major airlines and OTAs to promote weekend gateways to woo the millennials.
Key Highlights
- Leveraging the Greater Bay Area and Belt & Road initiatives to promote multi-destination itineraries
- Repositioning the My Hong Kong Guide mobile app to become a smart tool to assist FIT travellers with in-town exploration
- Developing a Chatbot in the HKTB Facebook Messenger
- Displaying QR codes at major attractions to provide information to tourists. Virtual Reality (VR) technology to be adopted to give visitors a tour of the old Hong Kong
- Enriching the content of the Old Town Central (OTC) campaign to tie in with the revitalisation of the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Historical Trail and the re-opening of Tai Kwun (the former Central Police Station Compound)
In 2017, HKTB invited Indian celebrity VJ Bani to promote OTC to Indian visitors. VJ Bani’s OTC video got over 6.4 million views.
More districts have been earmarked for a global campaign promoting their unique culture and heritage. Please share details?
In 2018, HKTB plans to extend the Old Town Central promotional model to two other districts, one of them being Sham Shui Po, and extend it to six or seven more districts in due course of time. HKTB will also design five thematic DIY walking routes for visitors. Sham Shui Po district promotion campaign aims to enhance the tourism appeal of the Sham Shui Po and Shek Kip Mei area. Sham Shui Po is home to multiple historic sites, characteristic architecture, religious buildings, local diners, hawker stalls, shopping malls and bazaars. Together, these points of interest (POIs) form a living museum showcasing the lifestyle of ordinary Hongkongers.
What is the total capacity of classified hotel rooms in HK?
By 2020, the total number of hotel rooms is expected to reach around 90,000 (statistics as of December 2017), an approximate increase of 11,800 rooms over that in 2017, offering more choices for visitors.
How will the new rail link to Guangzhou and bridge to Macau boost tourism in HK?
With new transportation infrastructure scheduled to complete soon, the entire Guangdong-HK-Macau Bay Area (Greater Bay Area) will become a region that offers an integrated mixture of tourism features and experiences. The Guangzhou-Shenzhen-HK Express Rail Link HK Section, which connects HK to the Mainland’s high-speed rail network, will strengthen HK’s crucial role as the Mainland’s southern gateway, giving us an edge in attracting foreign visitors to travel via HK’s to other cities in the Mainland.
How many Indians visited HK in 2017?
Over 3,92,000 Indians visited HK in 2017. It was a drop of 18 per cent mainly due to the new immigration procedure – online pre-approval registration (PAR) – which was implemented in January 2017. 71 per cent of Indians visited HK for vacation or business purposes. Growing number of Indians are visiting HK as free independent travellers. Indian travellers have begun to take short breaks multiple times in a year with at least 2-3 international holidays per year.
What is HK doing to offer visitors more than a shopping experience?
Old Town Central, the oldest district in Hong Kong, is lined with hole-in-the-wall eateries, fine-dine restaurants, bars and shops. It is also home to the lively PMQ area which is the Old Police Married Quarters that has now been turned into a hub for art and quirky cafes. What most people don’t know is that beyond the skyscrapers, 40 per cent of Hong Kong is a protected country park with nature reserves. Hong Kong is a hiker’s paradise with famous hiking routes like the Dragon Back and Sai Kung Country Park. Gastronomic lovers should not miss CCB (Asia) Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival to be held from October 25 to 28.
