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TOURISM
Stop driving Chinese visitors away, tourism chief warns
Tourism chief says that if hostility continues, mainlanders might turn their backs on city and head for Paris – and we’ll be all the poorer for it
Tuesday, 29 January, 2013, 10:45am
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Should Hong Kong cap the number of mainland tourists even if it means tourism growth will slow down?
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29 Jan 2013
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Mainlanders are the biggest drivers of tourism growth in Hong Kong - and its official promoters want to keep it that way. Photo: Felix Wong
Hong Kong could become "very dull" if the backlash against mainland tourists continues - and they might just spend their cash in Paris instead, the city's tourism chief warned yesterday.
Tourism Board chairman James Tien Pei-chun said it was "sandwiched" between rising anti-mainland sentiment and its mandate to promote tourism.
While its tourism campaign on the mainland remained unaffected for now by recent protests over cross-border parallel traders, he said the board was concerned about their impact.
"If there is too much noise about this anti-mainland sentiment and mainlanders stop coming here, Hong Kong will become very dull. Don't forget that nowadays these mainland tourists can easily go to Paris to shop instead," Tien said.
He added that there was also uncertainty about the annual influx of 800,000 business travellers from the mainland - who are usually more willing to spend money - after Beijing's recent move to curb extravagance by officials.
Tourism, Tien said, was the city's only pillar industry with sustained growth. Spending by tourists reached HK$305 billion last year, up 16.5 per cent. Overnight visitor numbers also increased, by 6.5 per cent.
And this growth was being driven by mainland tourists. Of the 48 million arrivals, 70 per cent, or 34 million, were from the mainland - up 24 per cent from 2011. Of those, 66 per cent were solo travellers.
The Tourism Board was among those behind the solo visitor scheme for mainland travellers - an arrangement now being blamed for problems such as cross-border parallel traders, who are accused of buying up stocks of infant milk formula and driving up shop rents.
Labour Party lawmaker Cyd Ho Sau-lan told the security panel meeting in the Legislative Council yesterday: "These tourists are destroying our local culture. What degree of social chaos will it take for the government to do away with these permits?"
But Secretary for Security Lai Tung-kwok sidestepped the call. "Hong Kong has always been a city of tourism. We welcome people from all over the world," Lai said, adding that the government "understands" the limited capacity to accommodate tourists.
Earlier yesterday, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Greg So Kam-leung said a review of tourism infrastructure was under way - and the findings would be communicated to Beijing. But he dodged calls from lawmakers to set up a shopping zone near the border.
Tien said that such a zone would not get the support of customs officials in Shenzhen.
And he would not say whether he plans to step down as chairman when his term ends on March 31. He has been elected chairman of the legislature's economic development panel and said he could not hold both roles.
This article first appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition on Jan 29, 2013 as STOP DRIVING TOURISTS AWAY, BOARD WARNS
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bmr Jan 31st 2013
11:35pm
11:35pm
The big joke in Britain 30 years ago was about hordes of Japanese tourists taking photos of everything. Back in the 90s Venice ran a campaign that used an explicit English word basically saying they didn't want day-trippers visiting their city, they only wanted tourists who would stay in their city overnight.
I consider myself to be a Hong Kong person. I do not work in the tourist industry but I am sure that I would earn less if we did not have tourists from other parts of China. We asked them to come here and help us to overcome our economic difficulties. The Central Government obliged and implemented policies which we desired.
The tourists from elsewhere in China are on the whole precisely that - tourists. Surely we want visitors to our city to be happy, to laugh, to show excitement at our attractions and to be eager to spend money. They are here to have a holiday and have fun, not to be castigated for not behaving as though they are on their way to work, nor for not being Hong Kong people.
I feel that the behaviour of some Hong Kong people to our visitors from other parts of China is disgraceful. I do not feel that the behaviour of people from other parts of China is in any way as bad as that put forward by some bigots on these pages.
Buying milk powder, as we now know, is a business that has just as many Hong Kong people involved as others. Not to mention Mannings and Watsons, etc. cashing in as well. But this is not tourism.
I consider myself to be a Hong Kong person. I do not work in the tourist industry but I am sure that I would earn less if we did not have tourists from other parts of China. We asked them to come here and help us to overcome our economic difficulties. The Central Government obliged and implemented policies which we desired.
The tourists from elsewhere in China are on the whole precisely that - tourists. Surely we want visitors to our city to be happy, to laugh, to show excitement at our attractions and to be eager to spend money. They are here to have a holiday and have fun, not to be castigated for not behaving as though they are on their way to work, nor for not being Hong Kong people.
I feel that the behaviour of some Hong Kong people to our visitors from other parts of China is disgraceful. I do not feel that the behaviour of people from other parts of China is in any way as bad as that put forward by some bigots on these pages.
Buying milk powder, as we now know, is a business that has just as many Hong Kong people involved as others. Not to mention Mannings and Watsons, etc. cashing in as well. But this is not tourism.
likingming Jan 31st 2013
11:09pm
11:09pm
It is protectionism to ban the mainlanders and let HKers to monopolise the lucrative parallel trade.
yellow_lynx_cat Jan 30th 2013
7:02pm
7:02pm
Multiple trips per day were being exploited by smugglers. One trip per day is more than sufficient for business and travel!
megafun Jan 30th 2013
9:31am
9:31am
No cheap rogue rowdy smugglers posing as tourist. Ban them, restrict visitors to one-trip-per-day.
ssslmcs01 Jan 29th 2013
7:57pm
7:57pm
James Tien is providing misleading information to the people of Hong Kong about the benefits of allowing Chinese visitors into Hong Kong.
Firstly, James Tien stated on previous occasions that each Chinese visitor who enters Hong Kong spends $6000.
Reality, a few visitors between 3-5%, with large amounts of cash, often from questionable sources, boost the average. Then there are the parallel traders who also boost the average. The average genuine visitor spends an average of less than $1000.
Number two: Who has benefited from those people investing large sums of money in Hong Kong real estate, as mentioned much of the money is of questionable origin.
Answer: The richest people in Hong Kong, that's who. Along with the benefit of selling more homes, the prices have gone up increasing their profits. The rising prices have meant that food and nearly everything else has also gone up in price. But those of us who are serving these rude visitors haven't have a significant increase in pay. Try making ends meet on the salary of a working man in Hong Kong.
A message to James, don't stand around on the footbridges during the next election asking for our votes while you insult our intelligence through the media with your obscure and misleading data.
Firstly, James Tien stated on previous occasions that each Chinese visitor who enters Hong Kong spends $6000.
Reality, a few visitors between 3-5%, with large amounts of cash, often from questionable sources, boost the average. Then there are the parallel traders who also boost the average. The average genuine visitor spends an average of less than $1000.
Number two: Who has benefited from those people investing large sums of money in Hong Kong real estate, as mentioned much of the money is of questionable origin.
Answer: The richest people in Hong Kong, that's who. Along with the benefit of selling more homes, the prices have gone up increasing their profits. The rising prices have meant that food and nearly everything else has also gone up in price. But those of us who are serving these rude visitors haven't have a significant increase in pay. Try making ends meet on the salary of a working man in Hong Kong.
A message to James, don't stand around on the footbridges during the next election asking for our votes while you insult our intelligence through the media with your obscure and misleading data.
jenniepc Jan 30th 2013
8:50am
8:50am
Your personal problems are due to and should be addressed with your Hong Kong Cantonese employer because they are the ones who made you financially deficient whereas the Mainland Chinese have done nothing but contribute to and at several critical junctures prop Hong Kong's economy.
Based upon my own as well many others experience, Westerners, especially well educated Europeans, despise Hong Kongeses' demeanor as arrogantly loud, noisy and drawing out their accent like frail little birds. In general, they give Asians a bad name and ugly stereotype. However, peculiarly enough, the Hong Kongese themselves feel arrogantly superior, just like the Indians, as if being the old British colonizers little poodles somehow elevates them above other more genuine Asians. In fact, many ignorant Hong Kongese feel downright white and entitled.
The fact the matter is people all over the world respect self-reliance, courage, independence and actual power and might whether financial, military, political, intellectual, physical sports, etc. China's accomplishments are monumental, heretofore unparalleled in human history. Hong Kong's sing-song, plastic, celluloid, hypocritically self-promoting culture is what make some Chinese being perceived as perenially week and second-class in Westerner's eyes.
Free speech is one thing, but venomous diarrhea of trash, pettiness, hateful blame, perverse intellectualization and jealousy does nothing but hurt Hong Kongese.
JenniePCChiang/江佩珍 美國
Based upon my own as well many others experience, Westerners, especially well educated Europeans, despise Hong Kongeses' demeanor as arrogantly loud, noisy and drawing out their accent like frail little birds. In general, they give Asians a bad name and ugly stereotype. However, peculiarly enough, the Hong Kongese themselves feel arrogantly superior, just like the Indians, as if being the old British colonizers little poodles somehow elevates them above other more genuine Asians. In fact, many ignorant Hong Kongese feel downright white and entitled.
The fact the matter is people all over the world respect self-reliance, courage, independence and actual power and might whether financial, military, political, intellectual, physical sports, etc. China's accomplishments are monumental, heretofore unparalleled in human history. Hong Kong's sing-song, plastic, celluloid, hypocritically self-promoting culture is what make some Chinese being perceived as perenially week and second-class in Westerner's eyes.
Free speech is one thing, but venomous diarrhea of trash, pettiness, hateful blame, perverse intellectualization and jealousy does nothing but hurt Hong Kongese.
JenniePCChiang/江佩珍 美國
wwong888 Jan 31st 2013
6:50pm
6:50pm
jennie PC - go live in Beijing then! with any luck, you will be dead from the smog in a couple years. enjoy that monumental achievement of theirs. massive GDP growth based on uncontrolled fixed asset investment that has destroyed the environment and enriched the corrupt govn't officials. let me know how you like it up north. don't talk trash about hk - just f-ck off.
superdx Jan 30th 2013
11:03am
11:03am
Since Hong Kong must be such a terrible place and people as well, I wonder why the richest 0.001% of of all Mainlanders choose to raise their families and buy property here. Hmmm. But still, please go to Paris. You don't want to be associated with us barbarians here in primitive HK.
hodfords Jan 29th 2013
7:14pm
7:14pm
Stop posting comments. It's being censored by the Communist Party. My post earlier has been deleted. Even though the points are completely valid.
Comrade Crunch Jan 29th 2013
4:01pm
4:01pm
HK did okay without these mainland tourists back in the 80's & 90's. Perhaps its time to clean up our act here, add more attractions and cater towards Western & Asian tourists.
We don't want them in the States either so the Europeans can have em.
We don't want them in the States either so the Europeans can have em.
waynewing Jan 30th 2013
2:52pm
2:52pm
China did well without connecting to the rest of the world before 19th century. So why not us roll back to that time's strategy and cherish the coming prosperity? Dare not to imagine what if HK's full of racists as naive as you're
shuike Jan 29th 2013
5:05pm
5:05pm
Except the Europeans & Asians are running out of money. So if the mainlanders stops fueling HK's econmy, I bet you & your family will be the first one out of HK i.e unless I get the Yankee green card ahead of you.
Comrade Crunch Jan 29th 2013
6:08pm
6:08pm
I have been here since 88 and have no plans in relocating since I have given up my US citizenship for a HKSAR one. There is still a lot of money in the US/EU/Asia and people from those countries are still interested in visiting HK to experience its culture, food, shopping etc.
Good luck with the Yankee GC and be sure to specify that you are not a mainlander when in the US as they are not welcome there either...especially down South.
Good luck with the Yankee GC and be sure to specify that you are not a mainlander when in the US as they are not welcome there either...especially down South.
Camel Jan 29th 2013
6:33pm
6:33pm
If HK is going down you will be the first like many to leave this city. I am sure of it.
The only thing what keeps the people here is that there is much money to earn from this place. Once you have enough you will emigrate to other countries for better standard of living, low costs of living, more living space and bigger homes, just like many already (20,000 - 40,000 each year).
The only thing what keeps the people here is that there is much money to earn from this place. Once you have enough you will emigrate to other countries for better standard of living, low costs of living, more living space and bigger homes, just like many already (20,000 - 40,000 each year).
pyklib Jan 29th 2013
5:23pm
5:23pm
To moderators: why delete the word **** from my post ?! is it cussing ? I don't think so. Is it degrading ? or maybe it's my way of figure of speech ? that's up to the readers to decide and who are you to judge; because you have a higher moral compass ? what's with the unnecessary censorship in this day and age where democracy is the basic fabric of freedom of speech. The four asterisk replacement could easily be interpreted by readers as the 4 letter foul word. Have you ever felt that it is misleading to readers and unfair to me? If SCMP is willing to add a comment section to its website, do it with full open arms and mind. Be inspired and learn from CNN or BBC online news network on how they run the show.
pyklib Jan 29th 2013
5:29pm
5:29pm
If Hong Kong wants the influx of petty money from these **** then the locals here should equally bear the egregious consequences they bring along. I call it simply poetic justice. You reap what you sow. I'm simply glad I have the option to leave this dysfunctional city that is servile to wealth with disregard to dignity and go back to anywhere in Northern America where real civilized people coexisted living a down to earth and simple life without having to ward off people who defecate in our their back yards.
babyhenry Jan 29th 2013
5:47pm
5:47pm
ooo So you can leave? Please Leave then to your down to earth (LMAO) home. If its so down to earth why is it the one that is literally bankrupt? ooo yeahh i forgot you m*rons in the west don't save and borrow until you are in unbearable debt. So u in HK working? earning our money? Y? I thought its so much better back in NOrth America where your jobless rate is sky high & your down to earth life style have got so many of you leeches in unbearable debt. Petty money? Your kind to talk? Consider how much of your Borrowed money comes from Beijing, to sustain your down to earth style? Yeah North American I am sure you are here not for the money but for the "Air".
srlo_hk Jan 29th 2013
2:34pm
2:34pm
it appears government (or semi-government) officials are not prepared to differentiate between genuine tourist and parallel traders. The latter legally are tourists in HK but maybe committing the crime of smuggling and tax evasion in China. Why the custom officials acrosss the border do not check and tax them. Most of us can guess why.
dlapiper Jan 29th 2013
2:21pm
2:21pm
On Sunday, I was in a taxi in Stanley. My taxi driver had the temerity to honk once at a Mercedes with P-plates that was improperly stopped in front of him. From out of the Mercedes, sprang two men and one woman who proceeded to bang with their fists on both sides of our taxi (cracking the taxi drivers's window protector) and were screaming in Mandarin "how dare you honk us! you must never do that again". Their anger was directed not just at the driver but at me and the other passengers. They seemed not to understand that passengers of Hong Kong taxis have no say in when a driver honks. My fellow passengers were very scared for their safety and iwas lucky the driver had locked the doors. I have never actually seen a road rage incident of any sort over my 13 years in Hong Kong. Its certainly a very sad state of affairs if this kind of behaviour becomes normal in Hong Kong.
waynewing Jan 29th 2013
5:25pm
5:25pm
recreational story. But should have conceived a less fantastic one if you'd like to prove anything
dlapiper Jan 30th 2013
11:52am
11:52am
Ha. I wish it was just a story. Of course, one incident does not substantiate making any generalisation about a group of people. Maybe these three people were the exception. All groups of people have idiots amongst them. It just happens that the incident did take place. We did not report to the police as the taxi driver did not want to and he was the one who said "These rich mainlanders think they can do what they like here".
ninacheung Jan 29th 2013
1:36pm
1:36pm
Yes, go to Paris, good riddance to those loud obnoxious rude mainlanders who think they "own" Hong Kong! The filthy rich mainlanders money only lines the pockets of big international companies and Hong Kong property developers and does not benefit grass-root level Hong Kong people at all. And the grass-root level HK people cannot even buy milk formula and daily necessities because it's all carted away to mainland by the scrupulous smugglers that for some weird reason are called "parallel traders". If I bought tax-free things in Hong Kong and took them back to my own country in large quantities and without proper licenses and permits to sell for profit, I would certainly be arrested and prosecuted!
hodfords Jan 29th 2013
1:00pm
1:00pm
The tourism chief's comments really highlight how little he understands about Hong Kong's geopolitical advantages. Paris along with many other locations will not be suitable for mainlanders for theses reasons:-
(1) Language barriers, (2) Logistical barriers - You cannot carry 20 cans of milk powder from Paris to Hong Kong on a daily basis for it to make commercial sense. It costs HK$200 to go from Guangzhou to Hong Kong but maybe HK$ 10,000 to go from China to Paris.
However badly Hong Kongers treat mainlanders; the latter will still keep coming back not because they want to but because they have to. Until they sort out their food safety problems; the influx will continue. For hoarding locations of daily items, Hong Kong and Macau will both be irreplaceable in the short and medium term.
(1) Language barriers, (2) Logistical barriers - You cannot carry 20 cans of milk powder from Paris to Hong Kong on a daily basis for it to make commercial sense. It costs HK$200 to go from Guangzhou to Hong Kong but maybe HK$ 10,000 to go from China to Paris.
However badly Hong Kongers treat mainlanders; the latter will still keep coming back not because they want to but because they have to. Until they sort out their food safety problems; the influx will continue. For hoarding locations of daily items, Hong Kong and Macau will both be irreplaceable in the short and medium term.
hybrid713 Jan 29th 2013
12:33pm
12:33pm
As much as I agree with most of the comments here, we should be careful of what we wish for. Times have changed (mostly for the worse) and without our "friends" across the border things could've been even worse. Everything has cost v benefit and someone should work out whether the influx of Chinese visitors bring us more harm than good. Most of us are sick of their behaviors and the erosion of our culture but then again is my job/career prospect enhanced because of them?
BHk Jan 29th 2013
12:27pm
12:27pm
That Hk / Paris reference is imbecilic in this context. Hong Kong needs and deserves a much better tourism chief. Its worse when Hong Kong has an incompetant one with no time to boot….. I wonder what other flaws he has. Replace him soon pleeeeze!!!!
jenniepc Jan 29th 2013
12:00pm
12:00pm
I am Taiwanese originally. I was born in a very poor family. Yes, I grew up in the countryside, well, the mountain and a lake behind our house. I am usually behavior well since I was very little. I was educated in the United States and sometimes I have a problem to communicate with my sibling .
I don’t know much about China. I heard that some Hong Kong residences complained that “the Chinese demand a lot and are loud and rude. They lack in all social manners.” I don’t know if it is due to uneven distribution of the level of an education or some character of Chinese people. But nonetheless, Hong Kong residents have discrimination issues for the Mainland Chinese. I have a friend from US with the Chinese root. She told me that She has been discriminated by Hong Kong people when she visited Hong Kong. However, Hong Kong people changed their attitude immediately after they heard her American accent English.
I do not agree with Bye Bye. Actually, I heard that the Japanese would not be well behavior or social manners either. they go in packs, stand in the middle, look around and are generally oblivious to the people trying to get past them. They are also very demanding and rude to staff at times.
Jennie PC Chiang/江佩珍 01/29/13 美國
I don’t know much about China. I heard that some Hong Kong residences complained that “the Chinese demand a lot and are loud and rude. They lack in all social manners.” I don’t know if it is due to uneven distribution of the level of an education or some character of Chinese people. But nonetheless, Hong Kong residents have discrimination issues for the Mainland Chinese. I have a friend from US with the Chinese root. She told me that She has been discriminated by Hong Kong people when she visited Hong Kong. However, Hong Kong people changed their attitude immediately after they heard her American accent English.
I do not agree with Bye Bye. Actually, I heard that the Japanese would not be well behavior or social manners either. they go in packs, stand in the middle, look around and are generally oblivious to the people trying to get past them. They are also very demanding and rude to staff at times.
Jennie PC Chiang/江佩珍 01/29/13 美國
wwong888 Jan 31st 2013
6:54pm
6:54pm
wow you are so knowledgeable. you "heard" the Japanese don't behave well. you don't know much about China. you "heard" some HK people are rude to Chinese. you have a friend who told you she was discriminated. THANKS FOR THESE NUGGETS OF INSIGHT AND WISDOM. you are a true muppet.
jacky.kumar2 Jan 30th 2013
2:33pm
2:33pm
Dear Jenny you are absolute right to say but things is many Hong Kong resident have think since mainland tourist come to Hong Kong everything here is going to down, now you are can see no any more tourist from Western countries are coming to Hong Kong it is just a few come to here.According Hong Kong resident they all know character of mainland peoples so worst and also they rude, un-responsible. where they want can throw rubbish, where they want can do smoke then throw on road may be the reason of their education. you can education in Hong Kong must better than mainland and some time too hard to understand their English. my meaning is not against them but rule is rule even i have friends in China and they all speak US English and they are study aboard.
Chinese Patriot Jan 29th 2013
11:38am
11:38am
"The influx of mainland tourists mostly benefits property developers and big businesses. The profits do not trickle-down to the lower strata of the society and it widens the wealth gap in HK. "
I completely agree. They are making the locals more miserable. Reading the part where the HK tourism board are complaining how bad the local citizens are treating their 'customers'. They have the nerve. It's fair to say - the locals would stop driving the tourists away only if the HK tourist board will benefit the people or the environment for non-profit. I wouldn't see this happening though.
I completely agree. They are making the locals more miserable. Reading the part where the HK tourism board are complaining how bad the local citizens are treating their 'customers'. They have the nerve. It's fair to say - the locals would stop driving the tourists away only if the HK tourist board will benefit the people or the environment for non-profit. I wouldn't see this happening though.
babyhenry Jan 29th 2013
5:53pm
5:53pm
So instead of blaming this twisted system that is so against us at the bottom we are to vent it on them because their money benefits big businesses. Actually in HK as long as you spent you are benefiting big businesses so we should drive all kinds of people for spending in HK then?
Greenwash Jan 29th 2013
11:07am
11:07am
I have yet to read a study or report from a trustworthy source (i.e. not involved in tourism promotion) that showed net benefits to Hong Kong from masses of mainland tourists. What Hong Kong people see is: excessive traffic from coaches, bus fumes, crowds, border queues, and flights booked by mainlanders using Hong Kong airport to get to their final destination. None of this benefits Hong Kong people. If the low-budget mainland tourist disappeared tomorrow, Hong Kong would be much more pleasant place. Hong Kong needs to focus on the high end tourist. How to do that? Ban coaches at tourist destinations, and do not approve the construction of anymore budget hotels for a start.
gnowdranoel Jan 29th 2013
10:41am
10:41am
The influx of mainland tourists mostly benefits property developers and big businesses. The profits do not trickle-down to the lower strata of the society and it widens the wealth gap in HK.
Byebye Jan 29th 2013
10:19am
10:19am
More ways for the greedy and profit centred developers or commercial building owners to increase rents and put in more international designer or luxury goods? Hong Kong is already dull with so many misbehaved people on the street - shouting to one another even in conversation, bad social manners not just adults even children, MTR rules and order disregarded, all sort of ill manners....etc..etc..... If need be, turn back Hong Kong 15 years, then it was much liveable, dull or exciting, however you classify it, Mr Tourist Chief. During the late 1960 when Japanese (don't get me wrong, I am not Japanese admirer and hold any partiality to anyone) were the big spenders, even until now, they are still welcome as tourists or visitors to any countries because of their good social manners. Chinese across the border or Chinese as a whole (I am Chinese too), please polish your social skills. Leaders of China or Hong Kong, perhaps it's time to appoint an Etiquette Chief!
waynewing Jan 29th 2013
10:14am
10:14am
First of all, abolish this nonsense parallel cross-border policy to shut the mouth of those fanatic anti-mainland advocates up. Go on street and assault mainland travelers? How barbarian and shameless should they be to embolden such deeds?
I never believe there is a tangible 'capacity limit' for a city's tourism. Go blame the tourism chief for not making it conspicuous how HKners could benefit from tourism.
I never believe there is a tangible 'capacity limit' for a city's tourism. Go blame the tourism chief for not making it conspicuous how HKners could benefit from tourism.
megafun Jan 29th 2013
10:00am
10:00am
Tien's stupid low-end tourist market is not what Hong Kong needs. Since he compared HK to Paris, I wish to say that "We" prefer the French and European visitors, if he can work on that!
ccwings Jan 29th 2013
9:48am
9:48am
Would the government officials and the board members stop spinning the facts and distorting our tourist industry?
Hong Kong has long been a favourable city for tourists worldwide in the past decades, not because of the clustering of luxurious brands in Canton Road, but with the co-existence of modern and traditional culture. Since the introduction of self travelling scheme and the influx of mainlanders, the balance had been destroyed and featuring shops were replaced by international brands to satisfy the shopaholic from China. Many oversea people had found Hong Kong no longer attractive, and it was proven by the drastic drop of visitors from other countries, comparing with the old days, which constituted a vast majority of our tourist mix.
If the officials are foresighted enough and for the good of Hong Kong, please reconsider our tourism establishment and stop supporting the already skewed tourism strategy. Oil will eventually run out, and our officials should diversify the fueling of our motor for a sustainable development.
Hong Kong has long been a favourable city for tourists worldwide in the past decades, not because of the clustering of luxurious brands in Canton Road, but with the co-existence of modern and traditional culture. Since the introduction of self travelling scheme and the influx of mainlanders, the balance had been destroyed and featuring shops were replaced by international brands to satisfy the shopaholic from China. Many oversea people had found Hong Kong no longer attractive, and it was proven by the drastic drop of visitors from other countries, comparing with the old days, which constituted a vast majority of our tourist mix.
If the officials are foresighted enough and for the good of Hong Kong, please reconsider our tourism establishment and stop supporting the already skewed tourism strategy. Oil will eventually run out, and our officials should diversify the fueling of our motor for a sustainable development.
ed_kwok Jan 29th 2013
9:35am
9:35am
Mr. Tien's vision of tourism in Hong Kong:
1) More smugglers to snap up our milk powder and daily necessities, drive up prices and pay no tax. Proceeds go to milk powder manufacturers in Europe, USA, Australia.
2) Get rid of local shops that sell useful goods at real prices to real people. Replace them with expensive European fashion shops, pack them with profession shoppers from China. Proceeds go to fashion brands in France and Italy.
The point is that a typical mainland "tourist" probably spends a five or six figure sum on imported luxury goods and electronics and this money goes straight to Europe and Japan. As an afterthought, he also spends a small amount on accommodation and meals and that money stays in Hong Kong. Smugglers from Shenzhen do not even spend that.
Mr. Tien's "tourist" causes extreme nuisance to Hong Kong people while the money they spend goes to Europe and Japan. How is that good for Hong Kong?
1) More smugglers to snap up our milk powder and daily necessities, drive up prices and pay no tax. Proceeds go to milk powder manufacturers in Europe, USA, Australia.
2) Get rid of local shops that sell useful goods at real prices to real people. Replace them with expensive European fashion shops, pack them with profession shoppers from China. Proceeds go to fashion brands in France and Italy.
The point is that a typical mainland "tourist" probably spends a five or six figure sum on imported luxury goods and electronics and this money goes straight to Europe and Japan. As an afterthought, he also spends a small amount on accommodation and meals and that money stays in Hong Kong. Smugglers from Shenzhen do not even spend that.
Mr. Tien's "tourist" causes extreme nuisance to Hong Kong people while the money they spend goes to Europe and Japan. How is that good for Hong Kong?
mercedes2233 Jan 29th 2013
9:33am
9:33am
Would HK travellers in China like to be given a 'hard time'? This can work both ways, although HK tourists are unlikely to be as wealthy. Is that the problem, of sour grapes?
wwong888 Jan 31st 2013
6:52pm
6:52pm
i hope they give me a hard time if i decide to defecate on the street in broad day light
donniemcm Jan 29th 2013
8:26am
8:26am
Again a selfish statement for their own wealth and other lobbies.
I don't see how those tourists are bringing wealth :
- Tourism industry is made of seasonal staff (ie non permanent) with minimum wages
- Food industry is manage by few big names and same they hire staff with minimum wages and mistreat them by cutting money on their salary for having lunch (no need to mention which chain)
- Local stock (milk formula, private housing etc.) has to be shared with people not living there.
- [long less obvious list] etc.
Where is the benefits here? We only see and heard about property REIT, companies, billionaires enriching themselves, having record revenues but never heard about 80% of the people getting something.
I don't see how those tourists are bringing wealth :
- Tourism industry is made of seasonal staff (ie non permanent) with minimum wages
- Food industry is manage by few big names and same they hire staff with minimum wages and mistreat them by cutting money on their salary for having lunch (no need to mention which chain)
- Local stock (milk formula, private housing etc.) has to be shared with people not living there.
- [long less obvious list] etc.
Where is the benefits here? We only see and heard about property REIT, companies, billionaires enriching themselves, having record revenues but never heard about 80% of the people getting something.
xiaoblueleaf Jan 29th 2013
7:22am
7:22am
Visitors from China will inevitably decline as the more "sophisticated" ones have increasingly moved on to Paris, New York etc. as HK has become as expensive as these major cities. The majority of visitors these days are the "less sophisticated" ones many of whose bahvaior is uncouth. It is generally acknowledged that tourists from China in SE Asia are looked upon with disdain because of many of them behaving badly.
ianson Jan 29th 2013
7:02am
7:02am
Good news. So if the mainland tourist numbers were, for example, halved, so what? All that would do is turn the clock back several years. Were our lives tragically affected then by a paucity of mainlanders? The situation today is an extreme distortion of Hong Kong's economic conditions and cultural heritage. Let's turn the clock back.
