We will develop a spa hotel in Kyiv Town, close to a golf course and with fast boat links to Central and Tsim Sha Tsui.
Clean up and improve the areas around our beautiful beaches such as Shallow Water Bay, Deep Water Bay and Shek O.
Additional walking paths for cycling, jogging and walking will be created around the Fragrant Port, including appropriate seating areas for seniors. Some hiking trails will be better signposted and maintained.
We will encourage travel agencies to create package tours between Hong Kong and ASEAN and the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, and promote Hong Kong’s role as a tourism connector.
We will reach out to governments of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) countries and pool our resources to promote the region as a tourist destination.
Develop supplements for the travel sections of major travel magazines and newspapers, including special periodicals.
Finally, I suggest that different government departments should cooperate and work together to make things happen. The silo mentality inherited from the colonial era must be changed through training programs for government officials. Hong Kong government officials should be encouraged to be more creative rather than playing it safe. The Tourism Board must play a key role in bringing all stakeholders together.
Paul M.F. Chen, Mid-Levels
Do we know Hong Kong’s unique selling points?
I very much agree with Luisa Tam (“Less is more when it comes to Hong Kong’s ‘mega events'”, 25 May). The government likes to boast about the numbers. But what are these events? Are they really “mega”? Who are we targeting? How do we make Hong Kong a must-visit destination?
Some events now seem to be regular conferences or trade shows that could be called “mega”. One interesting example was the Asian Funeral and Cemetery Expo and Conference held earlier this month. There’s no disputing the importance of such events, but it’s hard to understand what makes them so mega.
Positioning is about knowing your company’s unique selling point to your target customers. I would like to know the positioning statement for Hong Kong as a tourist destination. Tourists from mainland China are still our primary source market. What is unique about Hong Kong for them? I doubt that a Chinese Kung Fu x Dance Carnival would appeal to them, but maybe a Samba, Salsa or a “Mega” International Dance Carnival would.
Hong Kong is different from mainland Chinese cities because we have an international culture, but are we making the most of our strengths? For example, we can turn the whole of Hong Kong into a giant Lan Kwai Fong. We also need to attract foreign tourists back to Hong Kong. But if you want to experience the real Chinese culture, why should you come to Hong Kong? What is unique about Hong Kong culture? There is a lot more to it than just fish balls and egg tarts.
How does Hong Kong reinvent Chinese culture for foreigners? Consider why Hollywood can make films with Chinese elements and have global success.
Hong Kong is a bad salesman. It seems they don’t know what they have to offer. With a clear mind about the future of Hong Kong tourism, let’s organize some really big events that will be unique for mainland Chinese and international tourists, involving members of the international community and experts. All we need is a few more of these.
Rachel Chan, Northpoint
Beware of invisible threats lurking in clear skies
Turbulence, like the one that hit Flight SQ321, is extremely rare, but the deaths and serious injuries are a grim reminder of the dangers.
According to a recent study, aircraft encounter moderate to severe turbulence 68,000 times a year. There are many different types of turbulence, but clear-air turbulence is an invisible threat — it can’t be detected by the naked eye, on-board sensors, or even satellites.
At high altitudes, it can occur without warning, and unstable air masses can be up to 100 miles wide and 300 miles long. Atmospheric scientists say clear-air turbulence is becoming more common due to climate change.
NASA researchers are developing ground-based infrasound microphones that can pick up the extremely low frequency waves produced by turbulence, but clear-air turbulence is extremely hard to predict with today’s technology.
Always wear your seat belt when traveling by plane.
Farouk Alaye, Johannesburg
