Tourism industry lawmaker Perry Yoo Park-ryong said there is an urgent need for stronger cooperation between government departments to support tourism trade.
“There is an urgent need to draw a new blueprint under new circumstances. We have lived through years of pandemics and have seen changes from visitor demand to every aspect of the industry. ” he said.
He added that various departments and departments of the government can incorporate tourism into their development goals and cannot ignore it as pertinent only to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The existing blueprint, released in 2017, did not include a call for cross-sectoral cooperation, he added.
The lawmaker said the current roadmap lacks proposals for how relevant sectors such as aviation, hotels, transport operators, caterers and retailers can work together to develop products. Ta.
Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai during the “Golden Week” holidays. The number of tourists in Hong Kong for five days was lower than expected. Photo: Elson Lee Hong Kong has struggled in recent efforts to attract tourists, with the number of inbound tourists recorded during mainland China’s Labor Day “Golden Week” holiday from May 1 to 5 in 2019. It remains two-thirds of its pre-pandemic level in 2019.
Many mainland tourists are also adopting new travel habits, choosing to spend less and focus on experiences.
Mr Casper Tsui Ying Wai, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Hotel Owners Federation, emphasized the importance of the Bay Area amidst the changing tourism trends that Hong Kong has experienced.
“After the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a change in the composition of Hong Kong’s tourists. It is still observed that more than 80 per cent of tourists come from mainland China,” Mr Yiwu said in the discussion. Mr. Tsui, who participated, said.
He added that Hong Kong needs to assess the future development of its aviation capabilities as high-speed rail becomes a “new mode of transportation”.
“We can expect an increase in airport construction in surrounding cities in the Bay Area,” he said. “It’s important for us to understand how to respond and adjust to these changes. Our old blueprint didn’t address the Bay Area location.”
The Greater Bay Area emerged in 2017 as a national policy to create a powerful economic zone by combining nine cities in Hong Kong, Macau and Guangdong province. Its development plan was introduced in 2019.
He also said Hong Kong should consider working with various cities to develop a “Greater Bay Area tourism itinerary” to avoid events colliding and competing for tourists. Ta.
Mr. Tsui also called on the government to consider building a skilled workforce in various sectors.
“Travel agencies, hotels, food and retail stores all face talent challenges because they are interconnected within the entire industry chain. It is also important in the field,” he said.
“Addressing these challenges requires collaboration across sectors, and governments need to coordinate different sectors to ensure smooth operations.”
He hoped the government could provide support to get more people into the industry.
Tourists arrive in Hong Kong via West Kowloon Railway Station.Photo: Jerry Tse
Travel Industry Council chairwoman Janna Su Wong Mei-lung said the travel industry should take advantage of high-profile sports and cultural events in Hong Kong to boost tourism.
Sue suggested that larger events could be planned with tour groups in mind. “Some events and exhibitions only welcome individual visitors rather than groups. Perhaps there will also be group-only slots?”
He added that these conditions create difficulties for the tourism industry in developing tourism products that connect with other parts of the visitor’s travel experience, and called on governments to consider adjustments in this regard. urged.
Gary Ng Chuk-yang, senior economist at Natixis Corporate and Investment Bank, argued that tourist spending may be overestimated given the downward trend in consumption and changing tastes. .
“This has to do with Hong Kong’s middle class not wanting to spend their money locally as much as before. The slump in consumption is a symptom of deeper problems in other sectors such as financial and professional services.” Mr. Tong said.
He added that Hong Kong needs to rebuild positive sentiment among its residents by focusing on the economy to increase incomes more than other regions.
“Although Hong Kong cannot control the external macroeconomic environment such as the exchange rate, it still needs to find ways to enhance its competitiveness and Hong Kong’s image,” Ng said.
“Governments need to develop long-term tourism strategies led by real experts across departments, rather than acting blindly with costly but ineffective haphazard policies.” .”
In response to a Post investigation, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the government will invite representatives from the travel industry and related organizations to provide input on the new blueprint.
The department said it would welcome input from other interested parties during the consultation period until June 14.
