China News Agency, Hong Kong, January 5th Title: Transformation seeks change and polish the golden signboard of Hong Kong tourism
China News Agency reporter Xiang Lupin
At the end of 2024, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government issued the "Hong Kong Tourism Industry Development Blueprint 2.0", proposing a number of new development directions with innovative thinking. At the beginning of the new year, Hong Kong's tourism industry has ushered in exciting news one after another. The New Year fireworks show attracted more than 400,000 people to appreciate it, and the number of visitors on the New Year's Horse Racing Day hit a new high since 2019. It is enough to prove that Hong Kong's potential as a world-class first-choice tourist destination, and it also demonstrates the SAR government and the industry's determination to "recognize, respond, and seek change" to promote the development of the tourism industry.
"Hong Kong's traditional tourism advantages are obvious." As Luo Shupei, Director of the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, said, Hong Kong's tourism industry has good innate conditions, with resources such as historical sites, green ecological tours, and blue sea upstream. The times have created the integration and collision of Chinese and foreign cultures, creating a unique urban charm for Hong Kong. However, the changes in passenger travel models and consumption concepts have brought challenges to the recovery of the tourism industry. "Hong Kong's tourism industry needs to transform and seek change." Luo Shupei emphasized.
In recent years, the SAR government has worked with the industry to seek ways to break through with innovative thinking. On the one hand, it has developed local tourism projects, accelerated the integration of culture, sports and tourism, promoted the "Great Event Economy" and "Panda Economy", and implemented the concept of "Hospitality Way"; on the other hand, it has launched the "Hospitality Way" campaign, strengthened cross-departmental cooperation on large-scale events to ensure smooth arrangements, and improved the travel experience of tourists.
On this basis, the "Blueprint for Development of Hong Kong Tourism Industry 2.0", which widely gathers industry opinions, proposes four major positioning, four major development strategies, and 133 measures for the development of Hong Kong's tourism industry. It not only emphasizes the use of the central government's policy of benefiting Hong Kong and strengthens the advantages of Hong Kong's traditional tourism, but also encourages the industry to explore new tourism resources. At the same time, it also proposes multiple new concepts, such as vigorously developing horse racing tourism.
These measures are adapted to the times and are at the right time. At the end of 2024, the policy of "one sign-in and multiple trips" for residents of Shenzhen City, Guangdong Province to travel to Hong Kong was officially implemented, and the three runway system of Hong Kong International Airport was officially launched. The air capacity was gradually restored, which promoted the increase in the number of incoming passengers. In 2025, Kai Tak Sports Park will open in the first quarter. The famous British band Coldplay and famous singer Jay Chou will be held in Hong Kong soon to sing, adding another fire to the "Event Economy". The "Hong Kong-produced" giant panda twins are "growing storm" waiting to meet the public after the Spring Festival in 2025, and the "panda economy" is ready to go. Various positive factors have helped Hong Kong's tourism industry move forward with all its might on the road to transformation.
At the same time, the SAR government has become increasingly tacit in cooperation with all walks of life. Taking the New Year fireworks show as an example, in order to ensure smooth travel for passengers, the SAR government and relevant departments of Guangdong Province and Shenzhen City implemented special customs clearance arrangements, and MTR, bus operators, etc. also extended service hours and increased flights. One day, the passenger who returned to Shenzhen from Hong Kong overnight after watching the performance that day described it as "experienced with full marks and passing the test smoothly." More tourists choose to stay in Hong Kong overnight. Some industry insiders told the author that compared with a year ago, the number of tourists staying in Hong Kong overnight after the New Year's fireworks show ended, and the catering, retail, hotel and other industries also benefited from it.
"The tourism industry involves multiple service links, and promoting the all-round development of the industry is inseparable from the support and participation of the entire society." As Luo Shupei said, if all walks of life can cooperate with policies, grasp the pulse of the market and opportunities, and inject new impetus and freshness into the city through grand events and festivals, so that tradition and innovation can run side by side and bloom with a hundred flowers, the prosperity of Hong Kong's tourism industry may be not far away.
