Editorial | Time for gritty Hong Kong charm offensive with a smile
- With many finding better service with a smile across the border, the tourism board’s reboot of a 2002 campaign for city to ‘go the extra mile’ is warranted
A smile costs you nothing, but it could be a good investment. We are talking about the potential rewards for the hospitality industry from making people feel welcome in Hong Kong.
It matters to sustained recovery from the pandemic slump. A city that cherishes a reputation for being safe can do without one for being surly, or service without a smile.
That description may be undeserved. But the perception is not unfounded.
It is to be found, for example, among people who cross the border to the mainland for business, shopping or leisure. Some talk not only of lower prices but also of service with a smile from cheerful people – which they feel they do not always get in Hong Kong.
It can be found in the tourism board’s response to the latest complaints of poor service – rebooting a 2002 production starring actor Andy Lau Tak-wah, encouraging service staff to “go the extra mile”. And it can be found in this week’s launch of the government’s “Let’s go the Extra Mile” campaign to improve services.