City Beat | City Beat: Events like the Dragon Boat Carnival can cure declining tourists to Hong Kong
Small details, like the well-organised Dragon Boat Carnival, are key to attracting tourists
The week before, I had my first taste of a major attraction in the city - the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival.
I must admit that being a Hongkonger, I've never been very enthusiastic about this traditional annual event basically because it is usually held in July, one of the hottest months. The scorching heat definitely deters me from staying outdoors for hours.
But this year, I was attracted by the fantastic photos taken by our photographers, plus the promotion by the Tourism Board.
I therefore made up my mind that I didn't want to miss it - at least this one time. So I went down to the Tsim Sha Tsui East waterfront on the last day of the carnival - a Sunday.
It was all sweaty but the atmosphere was great! The event featured more than 400 teams from 13 countries and regions, including some teenage teams, and it was free of charge. Walking along the Avenue of Stars, I saw tourists from the mainland and overseas, as well as local families. All were attracted by the incessant beating of gongs and drums. Little children were especially fascinated by the dragon boats competing in the harbour.
It was super hot, but it was also fun walking along the harbourfront.