The Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence was originally the old Lyemun Fort, an important battlefield during the Battle of Hong Kong in 1941. Meanwhile, the Sam Tung Uk Museum is a walled village with a history of more than 200 years, featuring local architectural styles such as the entrance hall, middle hall, ancestral hall, independent living quarters on both sides, and rows of houses on the left, the right and at the back, full of local Hong Kong characteristics.

Although Hong Kong is changing rapidly, old things will be demolished when they are no longer used, fortunately, we still have a good awareness of cultural heritage conservation. With a rich and diverse history, Hong Kong has experienced more than 150 years of British rule, and the coexistence of Chinese and Western cultures have produced many historical sites. According to statistics, there are more than 1,400 historic buildings in Hong Kong that have been graded by the Antiquities Advisory Board, and are valuable tourism resources. However, many government-owned heritage sites are not fully utilized and some remain closed for long periods, which is a waste.

If the Tourism Commission makes good use of these heritage resources, improves related hiking tourism packages, and combines the attractions of heritage sites and green tourism spots, Hong Kong’s inbound tourism would become more attractive by offering visitors a much richer experience

In order to develop Hong Kong’s tourism industry, we should not just rely on famous attractions such as The Peak, Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park to attract tourists. As the saying goes, “One grain of rice feeds a hundred kinds of people.” We should diversify and expand the range of tourist attractions and promote local historical heritage tourism. Furthermore, a diverse tourism environment and ecology will undoubtedly be beneficial for Hong Kong’s future development.

On the escalators to Mid-Levels, I often see tourists stopping to read about the Dr Sun Yat-sen Historical Trail. This shows that the Tourism Commission has been promoting tourism projects with rich historical and heritage elements in different areas, which is the right move. Currently, the commission has launched the City in Time project, which uses augmented reality and multimedia technology to recreate historical panoramic images of different landmarks. This is an encouraging use of technology, allowing tourists to use smartphones to understand the historical appearance and community culture of attractions.

Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, many tourists enjoyed hiking in Hong Kong. In fact, there are many hiking trails in Hong Kong that include historical relics from the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression (1931-45) period, such as the Pinewood Battery Heritage Trail and the Shing Mun War Relics Trail. If the Tourism Commission makes good use of these heritage resources, improves related hiking tourism packages, and combines the attractions of heritage sites and green tourism spots, Hong Kong’s inbound tourism would become more attractive by offering visitors a much richer experience.

The author is a specialist in radiology with a Master of Public Health from the University of Hong Kong, and an adviser to Our Hong Kong Foundation.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.