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Letters | Hong Kong’s MacLehose Trail points to untapped tourism potential
- Readers discuss Hong Kong’s potential for sustainable eco-tourism, a decline in reading in mainland China, and United Nations reform
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My recent two-day hike along Hong Kong’s MacLehose Trail during Lunar New Year left me pleasantly surprised and convinced of the immense, untapped potential that lies in the city’s natural wonders.
Remarkably, the majority of hikers I encountered were mainland tourists who had travelled to Hong Kong with the sole purpose of conquering the full 100km MacLehose Trail, which was hailed as one of the world’s best hikes by the National Geographic. During an encounter with a hiker from Beijing, I learnt that he was dedicating five days to the trail, enticed by diverse landscapes – coastal, urban and natural – that are scarce in his own city. I also discovered the trial’s immense popularity on mainland social platforms such as Xiaohongshu.
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Hong Kong is blessed with a wealth of natural assets including 24 country parks, the Unesco Global Geopark and marine parks. These present an extraordinary opportunity to position Hong Kong as a nature-focused destination.
Yet, the capacity of our natural environment should not be overlooked. Preservation of our fragile ecosystem is essential. It is disheartening to witness an increasing amount of litter along the trail, despite the presence of banners urging visitors to “Take your litter home”.
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With the upcoming introduction of municipal solid waste charging in August, it is high time for the government to consider how to encourage tourists to reduce waste and take responsibility for it.
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