Opinion | Hong Kong tourism should degree up to attract high quality travellers – Tech Cyber Web

After I realized of the closure earlier this yr, I used to be not shocked however contemplated how a lot power and sources had been invested within the venture so the venue may open earlier than the 2008 Beijing Olympics. It was private for me as I used to be the venture supervisor for the Kengo Kuma-designed resort within the coronary heart of the Sanlitun space in Beijing.

For 22 months, a group of managers, designers, consultants and contractors labored tirelessly across the clock to make the deadline earlier than the auspicious Olympics opening date of August 8, 2008. The profitable launch validated the group’s arduous work and collaborative effort, and we thought the enduring resort would function a dwelling legacy for so long as the model exists.

This isn’t an obituary of the demise of a business product, solely a mirrored image of the truth of the high-end hospitality market in mainland China. Hong Kong is not any exception to this problem. On the floor, the Hong Kong hospitality sector’s general common occupancy fee of round 80 per cent appears to point a wholesome restoration. Nonetheless, if we low cost the low-to-mid-end merchandise, luxurious lodges’ occupancy fee stands at about 54 per cent, that means they’re solely half-full.

The Reverse Home, a luxurious life-style resort in Beijing, closed its doorways in June after 16 years in operation. Photograph: Handout
Based on business actual property big Collier Worldwide, tourism has advanced and there are extra budget-conscious travellers who don’t spend a lot on lodging, meals or procuring. On the identical time, there’s a “rising development of tourists in search of extra significant experiences slightly than materials purchases”.

Vacationer varieties are a lot and it will not be rational to imagine any technique can change the price range travellers’ habits. To really search for impactful fiscal features from the tourism sector, we have to focus our targets on the excessive spenders.

Lately The New York Occasions reported that subtle travellers at the moment are in search of bespoke, next-level resort experiences. If the expertise is justified, travellers will splurge. On the micro scale, every resort wants to find their area of interest choices. On the macro scale, town should work with the hospitality sector to supply one thing “uniquely Hong Kong”.
Maybe that was what our mega occasions have been speculated to instigate, distinctive expertise, to draw high quality vacationers and their wallets. Sadly, as Government Council convenor Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee just lately stated, many of those “mega occasions” are something however. Worse, they waste public funds and draw little curiosity or income for town.
A few of them make worldwide headlines for the incorrect causes, from squandering HK$7.8 million (US$1 million) in public cash on “Chubby Hearts Hong Kong” to the mockery of the “Inflatable Wonders”, which appeared like tombstones in a graveyard. A real instance of a mega occasion could be the Hong Kong Sevens, and we should always contemplate that because the benchmark for the “mega” label.

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Hong Kong Sevens: sell-out crowd for final rugby occasion at iconic stadium

Hong Kong Sevens: sell-out crowd for final rugby occasion at iconic stadium

Hong Kong officers have to put a correct technique in place to draw the suitable spenders. Recreation-changing paradigms require deep market understanding, analysis, creativity and transparency. An entire and synergistic ecosystem is required, from the service sector to hospitality to retail to occasion planning, to draw worldly and cultivated travellers. Most of the items are in place, but the sum just isn’t better than its components in the mean time.

The much-anticipated Kai Tak Sports activities Park will provide world-class {hardware} to draw true mega occasions sooner or later. We are able to additionally contemplate what’s intrinsic and distinctive to Hong Kong and take a few of our present occasions to the following degree. If our harbour is the very best on the earth, how about retracing the marathon route away from uninspiring highways and in direction of the harbourfront?
If three-quarters of our lands are countryside, how about launching a world-class path raceby the MacLehose, Wilson, and Lantau Trails, that’s as in style because the Extremely Path du Mont Blanc? If we now have the mainland’s help and Olympic-hosting expertise, how about bidding to be the second Chinese language metropolis to host the Summer season Video games? Some desires is likely to be far-fetched, however that’s the reason they’re desires to start with.

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Mountaineering Hong Kong’s MacLehose Path

Mountaineering Hong Kong’s MacLehose Path

Asking Hongkongers and town’s service business to “smile extra” is a pleasant concept however not sufficient to revive the tourism business. As a substitute of simply throwing concepts on the wall and seeing what sticks, metropolis officers ought to sit down with hospitality and tourism leaders to brainstorm with the very best minds within the business.

Drawback-solving begins with appropriately defining the issue, and step one in identification begins with communication. A lot of the luxurious chain lodges are run by skilled common managers who usually have the very best insights and instincts in addressing travellers’ wants and aspirations. We must always faucet their brains for inventive concepts and proposals. Such open dialogue and collaboration by itself could be the form of mega occasion we’d like probably the most.

Dennis Lee is a Hong Kong-born, America-licensed architect with years of design expertise within the US and China

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