I recently had the pleasure of hosting two overseas visitors who spent 10 days in Hong Kong. One had lived in the city more than a decade ago and had not been back since; the other had never been here. The newcomer had several preconceived ideas about Hong Kong based on articles in the international press, which have been making such farfetched claims as “The old Hong Kong is dead”, “Hong Kong is dying”, and the like.
My guests’ reaction to the Hong Kong experience was fantastic: Despite the overcast and rainy weather, they loved staying here and were utterly enchanted with the city. One even proclaimed that she would love to live here permanently.
It is a refreshing experience to see Hong Kong through a foreign visitor’s eyes, effectively reliving our first-time views. They took pictures of the “Ding-Ding” tram, the iconic Star Ferry, Victoria Harbour, and the juxtaposition of heritage buildings with modern skyscrapers, with the country park visible in the readily accessible background. But for most long-time residents, we tend to take our best-in-class infrastructure, world-leading public transport system (that is affordable, safe and clean), spectacular hikes, beautiful beaches, and an amazing variety of excellent places to eat, for granted.
Clearly, the most effective response to negative articles about Hong Kong is to facilitate the arrival of visitors from all over the world.
The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government understands this and budgeted for it in the 2024-25 Budget, allocating HK$1.09 billion ($139.7 million) “to strengthen tourism development and organize events” and earmarking “HK$100 million to boost mega-event promotions over the next three years”. It was, therefore, surprising to hear that the organizers of the world championship air racing have reached agreements with the governments of Dubai, Singapore, and Macao to host these spectacular air races in 2026 and that Hong Kong was not interested. Victoria Harbour would have been perfect for this and would have attracted global attention, as famous actors such as Tom Cruise were involved in the publicity campaign. This could have been as big as the Hong Kong Sevens, now a celebrated international rugby phenomenon.
Luckily, high-level nongovernment initiatives from other sectors of our community, such as our universities, understand the importance of positioning Hong Kong at the highest level. In this vein, it is terrific news that the Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting of the International Astronomical Union will take place in Hong Kong in 2026. It is a perfect example of prestigious high-level events, very important in their respective sectors, which contribute to underlining the positive progress Hong Kong has made, in this case, Hong Kong’s expertise and strong academic offerings in astronomy, astrophysics and planetary sciences. Up to 1,000 academics from across the region are expected to attend this international meeting.
To benefit Hong Kong’s reputation and name, the government should carefully consider the smartest and most efficient ways to attract visitors from all around the globe
Every international visitor who leaves Hong Kong with warm and positive memories is our roving goodwill ambassador, who will spread the word about the “Pearl of the Orient”. Because of the power of social media, every video that someone places on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube will likely reach more viewers than an “old fashioned” commercial on CNN. Word of mouth remains the best recommendation.
Some of the strategies utilized in the online retail industry could be used to convey the Hong Kong story more effectively. The Hong Kong Tourism Board should build a network of international online bloggers and influencers, the so-called key opinion leaders focusing on travel. It is easy to track which ones carry more influence; and using discount coupons and the like, it is very easy to find out which visitor was impacted by which influencer. This data mining and tracking approach is quite sophisticated but increasingly common in the online consumer retail sector.
One of the other reasons international visitor numbers to Hong Kong are still lower than before the COVID-19 pandemic is that airline ticket prices are considerably higher than they were before the pandemic, often double the price. Several airlines still have not resumed full operations, and competition to and from many important destinations is therefore limited, enabling the high ticket prices to stand. The government could explore options with our flag carrier, Cathay Pacific, to temporarily subsidize tickets for certain routes, encouraging more overseas visitors.
We are fortunate to live in this unique and very special place. To benefit Hong Kong’s reputation and name, the government should carefully consider the smartest and most efficient ways to attract visitors from all around the globe. This will benefit the economy and, more importantly, shield the city against negative influence from those who wish to harm its reputation. The international story has to be that the “Pearl of the Orient” has been polished and is shining as brightly as ever!
The author is a specialist in international public law, and an adviser on China-related matters to the private and public sectors. He has lived in Hong Kong for over 20 years.
The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.
