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Opinion
It’s not ecotourism if it risks damaging Hong Kong’s natural assets
Authorities need to shift ecotourism management strategies to avoid it becoming part of the problem it was meant to solve
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For decades, Hong Kong’s tourism success rested on a clear formula: shopping, dining and urban experiences. That model is losing momentum. Overnight visitor spending has fallen from around HK$193 billion (US$24.6 billion) in 2015 to HK$128 billion last year. Shopping has declined sharply as spending shifts to sightseeing and experiences. Travellers are no longer coming only to consume – they seek a connection to nature, culture and place.
This transition presents a clear opportunity. Hong Kong’s country parks, coastlines and rural landscapes are all within easy reach of the city centre. As tourism evolves, these natural assets are becoming increasingly central to Hong Kong’s competitiveness. Unsurprisingly, ecotourism has emerged as a popular solution, promising a model where economic development and conservation reinforce each other.
Yet much of what is currently labelled as ecotourism is not delivering ecological outcomes. Across Hong Kong, nature-based activities have grown rapidly but so have the pressures on fragile environments. Popular sites such as Sharp Island, the High Island Reservoir East Dam and MacLehose Trail are increasingly overcrowded, with trampling, habitat degradation and wildlife disturbance becoming more visible.
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