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Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Gregory So Kam-leung attends the HK Tramways launching ceremony of its sight-seeing tram. Photo: Sam Tsang
Hong KongHong Kong economy

Hong Kong sells itself as a cultural and sporting hub as mainland shoppers look elsewhere

Formula E race, comics park and light show are just three of the events planned this year to attract more global visitors to the city

Chinese tourists
Nikki Sun
Nikki Sun
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The Hong Kong government says it is diversifying the city’s tourism attractions instead of just focusing on mainland shoppers as competition for visitors in the region escalates.

With Shanghai Disneyland opening in June, potentially keeping tourists away from Hong Kong, more cultural and sporting events will be held this year to lure international visitors.

READ MORE: How to play up Hong Kong’s culture and heritage as mainland tourists lose interest in shopping and eating?

These include a Formula E battery-powered motorsport event in October, a comics park located in Golden Bauhinia Square, Wan Chai, in May and a French-style light show spanning seven historical buildings in Central in November.

The Enchanted Storybook Castle, as it looked in October, at the Shanghai Disneyland Resort. The theme park opens in June. Photo: Xinhua
Echoing Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying’s call in his policy address on Wednesday for the tourism industry to move up the value chain, Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Greg So Kam-leung said Hong Kong needed to “create a multi-culture and very diversified portfolio” to attract tourists from different destinations.

“We can’t simply rely on a single market” he added.

READ MORE: Hong Kong tourism protesters threaten legal action over ‘unjustified’ guidelines

Promoting the city’s gourmet culture was among the bureau’s missions, and So said the government would consider sending chefs overseas to promote local dishes.

So admitted the weakness of the yuan and the easing of visa restrictions in other countries meant Hong Kong had lost its appeal to mainland tourists as a shopping destination.

Amid a gloomy economic outlook this year, So called for efforts from all parties in Hong Kong to show the city’s hospitality, as he said incidents such as protests last year against parallel traders – mainland visitors who buy goods in the city to sell for a profit on the mainland – had a “very bad influence”on tourism.

READ MORE: Quality over quantity say Hong Kong tourism sector leaders

Meanwhile, Hong Kong Tramways launched a new tram sightseeing tour yesterday, using specially designed vintage trams of the 1920s.

A Formula E race will be held in Hong Kong in October. Photo: Reuters
In the tram, old photos and ticket punch will be displayed, with the driver and attendants wearing old style uniforms. The company expected the trams will take tourists back to an old Hong Kong recreated in a modern setting.

Visitor arrivals to Hong Kong fell 10.4 per cent year-on-year to 4.75 million in November, the sixth consecutive month of decline, and the number of mainland tourists registered a year-on-year drop of 15.5 per cent.

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