Deep Dive: Hong Kong’s tourism blueprint aims to bring billions to the economy

Hong Kong has rolled out a much-awaited blueprint for the tourism industry. It includes strategies that aim to boost the economy by HK$120 billion (US$15.5 billion) and employ 210,000 people in five years.

The document released in December lays out four development strategies, 16 implementation directions, 59 action plans and 133 measures to reinforce Hong Kong’s role as a hub for international tourism.

“Tourism was paralysed during the pandemic. Following the pandemic, tourists’ travel patterns have changed. We have to reform the industry,” Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said last month.

The “Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0” will promote initiatives related to culture, sports, ecology, and mega-events. Themes such as pandas, horse racing, and nature have all been floated.

Law said Hong Kong will strengthen its partnerships with mainland and regional ports to develop the cruise sector. It will also work closely with the industry and cruise companies for timely support and explore offshore berthing at green spots in the city for expedition cruises.

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Another initiative includes expanding a solo traveller scheme allowing residents from select mainland cities to visit Hong Kong individually. There are also plans to launch overnight trains with sleeper carriages, raise duty-free limits and revive multiple-entry visas for Shenzhen locals.

Travel Industry Council chairman Tommy Tam Kwong-shun said Beijing’s supportive policies have encouraged more mainland residents to visit Hong Kong. He also attributed the rising number of mainland travellers to the city’s giant panda frenzy and upgraded facilities, such as the soon-to-open Kai Tak Sports Park.

In December, the Security Bureau launched a facial recognition pilot scheme for people working or living on Chung Ying Street in the Sha Tau Kok border town. The scheme allows people to enter or leave the area without showing any documents.

The bureau aims to ultimately open up the street for tourism. The shop-lined spot is jointly governed by Shenzhen and Hong Kong authorities.

In addition, sources say the quota for entering Sha Tau Kok for ecotourism will soon be relaxed.

The city is also working to attract new tourists from the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

The government had previously pledged more efforts to provide information in Arabic at the airport and expand halal-friendly hospitality and dining options. It also urged taxi drivers to offer service information in the language.

Staff writer

1. Using the information in News, which of the following is true?

(1) The tourism blueprint aims to boost the economy by HK$120 billion and employ 210,000 people in 10 years.
(2) The initiative will focus on things like pandas, horse racing, sports, nature and mega-events.
(3) As part of the initiative, there will be stricter quotes on the number of people who can enter Sha Tau Kok.
(4) There are plans to get more Arabic guides and halal-friendly dining options.

A. (1), (2) only
B. (2), (3) only
C. (2), (4) only
D. (1), (4) only

2. Explain at least TWO ways in which Hong Kong aims to boost tourism in the near future.

3. Using the information in News, list TWO of initiatives from the blueprint that cater to mainland Chinese tourists.

1. What is being depicted in the cartoon?

2. Using News, Cartoon and your own knowledge, what might be the advantage of releasing the tourism blueprint?

• Tourism Board currently recommends that visitors download 15 different apps for navigating Hong Kong

• Lawmaker has suggested launching a game like Pokemon Go to make the tourist experience more immersive

Hong Kong should consider launching an all-in-one app for visitors and use technology to create more engaging experiences, industry leaders have said. This could help the government raise its game through smart tourism.

“Currently, the apps available for tourists in Hong Kong are very fragmented. Some provide information on traffic and weather, but there is no one-stop service,” said Timothy Chui Ting-pong, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association.

He said the government should roll out an all-in-one app for tourists to access different information, including on traffic, bookings and the weather.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board has listed 15 recommended apps for visitors on its webpage, including “MyObservatory” for weather information, the airport’s “My HKG”, and “Octopus for Tourists” for payments.

Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun said: “We can develop a mobile app to integrate real-time visitor numbers and estimated waiting times for some museums and attractions, as well as provide information about nearby shopping malls, toilets and accessible facilities.”

He said the government could consider creating an augmented reality mobile game similar to Pokemon Go, allowing tourists to “catch pandas” and exchange points for souvenirs.

Sara Leung Fong-yuen, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Tourism Industry Employees General Union, agreed that the city was lagging in providing visitors with essential information through mobile apps.

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“There is significant room for improvement in delivering accurate and comprehensive information to tourists via mobile phones,” Leung said.

She suggested apps provide real-time information on popular photo shoot spots, traffic conditions for tourists, and available parking spaces for tourist agencies and coach drivers.

Leung said the government should stop proposing projects that “look fancy but can’t engage visitors”.

Instead, she advocated using multimedia and virtual reality to create interactive experiences at various tourist destinations and promote authentic Hong Kong culture.

James Tung Pui-chuen, managing director of the Ngong Ping 360 cable car tourist attraction, said the company had gradually introduced tech-related features over the last five years to upgrade the visitor experience. It would continue to enhance these efforts further.

He said augmented reality and virtual reality in theatres, for example, would create immersive experiences and allow visitors to increase interactions with exhibits.

To better manage footfall and crowds, the company deployed artificial intelligence-driven systems for counting people and visitor queues.

Staff writer

1. Based on the information in Issue, which of the following is true?

(1) The tourism board currently recommends more than 10 apps for tourists to use to navigate Hong Kong.
(2) Leung advocates for virtual reality at tourist attractions.
(3) Lawmakers said the all-in-one app could include weather, traffic, and flight information.
(4) Leung is a proponent of “fancy” looking apps.

A. (1), (2) only
B. (1), (3) only
C. (2), (4) only
D. (3), (4) only

2. List TWO ways technology can enhance the visitor experience at Ngong Ping 360 cable car.

3. According to Issue, why is there a need for an all-in-one tourism app?

1. List TWO trends depicted in Graph.

2. Using News, Issue and your own knowledge, explain the reason for the trends in Graph.

duty-free: products sold without local or national taxes. They are often found at airports, encouraging tourists to buy souvenirs or luxury goods.

ecotourism: a form of nature-oriented tourism. It is generally defined as being minimally impactful and contributing to conservation and environmental education.

halal-friendly: halal is an Arabic word that translates to “permissible” in English. It is a type of dietary restriction most common among Muslim communities. Foods such as pork and alcohol are prohibited, and halal meat comes from animals that are slaughtered in a special way.

augmented reality: an interactive experience that mixes real-world and computer-generated content. It could include sounds, smells, and visuals. The digital world overlays with the real world to make it look like part of our surroundings.

virtual reality: computer technology that makes people feel like they are elsewhere. It uses software to produce images, sounds, and other sensations to simulate a real or fake world and makes a user feel as if they are part of this other place.

1. C

2. Hong Kong plans to promote and make money from measures like horse racing, cruises, and large events, as well as its giant pandas. It will also focus on schemes related to ecotourism.

The city will try to attract more Middle Eastern tourists with more accessible food choices and Arabic services and translations.

3. Some elements of the blueprint allow for easier entry and exit for mainland Chinese travellers. For example, the facial recognition pilot scheme allows those in the Sha Tau Kok border town to enter or leave the area seamlessly.

There will also soon be overnight sleeper trains from the mainland and revived multi-entry visas for Shenzhen residents.

Finally, Hong Kong aims to become a hub for cruises from the mainland, as the city will work closely with cruise companies and mainland ports.

1. The cartoon shows a person writing a blueprint. The blueprint shows a sign that says “arrivals”, likely referring to the arrival area of the airport, and shows the Hong Kong skyline in the background. The people drawn in the blueprint jump off the page and become real.

2.Publicising the blueprint makes these plans known not only to Hongkongers but also to potential tourists. If people in mainland China and the Middle East hear of these initiatives, they may be more interested in coming to Hong Kong and make concrete plans for a visit.

1. A

2. The use of augmented reality and virtual reality at Ngong Ping lets tourists interact more deeply with exhibitions, giving them a more immersive experience.

The company also uses an AI system to count people queuing for various attractions, which helps to minimise overcrowding.

3. The convenience of an all-in-one tourism app would help people navigate the city more easily. Currently, visitors are advised to download multiple different apps to get around. The app could also provide incentives to visit different tourist spots, such as a game where users can earn points to cash in for souvenirs by catching “pandas” around the city.

1. The graph shows a huge drop in visitors; there were around nine million in 2019, then zero from 2020 to the end of 2022. From 2023, the graph spikes to more than 10 million, then drops around quarter three of 2023 again.

2. The huge dip in visitors was due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Tourists were essentially barred from coming to Hong Kong under the city’s harsh Covid-19 restrictions. These restrictions lasted until the beginning of 2023 when the borders opened again. Still, as mentioned in News, tourism in Hong Kong has been volatile since the pandemic, and the number of visitors has not returned to pre-pandemic levels.