Editorial | Hong Kong’s panda economy not all black and white
As Hong Kong looks forward to the public debut of twin pandas, the city must come up with the right ideas to prosper from its six bears
Hong Kong has been buzzing with excitement over the imminent public debut of twin panda cubs, which is now just days away.
The fuzzy pair known as “Elder Sister” and “Younger Brother” are due to meet the public on Sunday, a day after they turn six months old.
While the excitement around their first appearance is palpable, the notion that they and the four adult pandas at Ocean Park can significantly spur tourism appears questionable.
It is not for lack of trying. Park chairman Paulo Pong Kin-yee told the Post plans were in the offing for a panda museum, to be developed in stages at the Wong Chuk Hang site for a price tag of hundreds of millions of Hong Kong dollars.
The museum, Pong said, would include an auditorium to host large-scale global conferences on panda conservation, and serve to ensure “panda fever” would remain strong for both locals and visitors.
The twins were born to mother Ying Ying and partner Le Le last August. The park aims to expand their habitat to offer room for when they grow.