Lawmakers suggested that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government should make the most of the city’s iconic tourism resources — such as its giant pandas and geoparks — to create more tourism hotspots and promote in-depth travel experiences.
They also stressed the importance of optimizing supportive facilities for popular attractions and relaxing restrictions on holding activities to enhance the appeal of the attractions.
On Friday, lawmakers from the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong (DAB) and the Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions (HKFTU) separately met Deputy Chief Secretary for Administration Warner Cheuk Wing-hing to submit their proposals for developing thematic tourism.
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During a press conference held by the HKFTU, lawmaker Joephy Chan Wing-yan pointed out that many activities are already established in the SAR — such as horse racing, cruise ships and water activities — which can all be further integrated and promoted.
Hong Kong’s religious buildings can also be utilized to provide tourists with a glimpse of the city’s multiculturalism, Chan added.
In addition, Chan said she believes that patriotic tourism should be further promoted to provide travelers and residents with a deeper understanding of the history of Hong Kong and the Chinese nation.
The HKFTU also proposed nurturing professional tour guides to enhance Hong Kong's tourism and cultural attractiveness.
Lawmaker Dennis Leung Tsz-wing said that the government should encourage the development of tour guides by organizing more workshops and encouraging them to design unique travel routes.
To enhance training courses, Leung said that the training followed by the hotel industry could be used as a reference to elevate professionalism. The government should establish a development ladder for tourism practitioners to ensure the effective transfer of knowledge and skills, and to attract more young individuals to the profession, infusing the industry with greater vitality, he added.
District Council members of the HKFTU shared their insights into developing tourism based on attractions in various districts; for instance, island tourism could be developed in Sai Kung District, a district surrounded by mountains and rivers; while the Birthday of Tam Kung — a traditional festival annually celebrated in the Eastern District — would also be of interest to tourists, they said.
Lawmaker Michael Luk Chung-hung suggested building a fisherman's wharf in Tuen Mun, and connecting various beaches in Tuen Mun with cycle tracks or footpaths.
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Lawmaker Kwok Wai-keung said he hopes the authorities will further improve the transportation facilities that connect to different attractions to improve convenience for tourists, thereby realizing the “tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong" goal more quickly.
At the DAB’s press conference, members of the party proposed deepening collaboration with geoparks on the Chinese mainland to enhance the promotion and management of the city’s geoparks.
They also suggested that the authorities should adopt an innovative approach improving coordination between departments, and should relax restrictions on the authorization of activities.
Contact the writer at atlasshao@chinadailyhk.com
