Letters10 big-picture ideas to get Hong Kong tourism on the right track

Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words, and must include your full name and address, plus a phone number for verification While spending money on promoting mega events and fireworks may help Hong Kong tourism, we should put more emphasis on getting permanent features right for the long run. Here are some suggestions (not in any particular order of importance). Develop two separate campaigns – one for mainland tourists and the other for international visitors from other parts of the world, as their reasons for coming may be different. Redevelop Aberdeen into an upmarket fishermen’s wharf. Cities such as San Francisco and Seattle have made successes of the concept. Lei Yue Mun could also be a candidate. Central Market should have a theme. Right now it is a hodgepodge of shops. Perhaps it can be a place to showcase cuisine from different parts of China. Develop a spa hotel on Kau Sai Chau, near the golf course, with high-speed boat connections to Central and Tsim Sha Tsui. Clean up and upgrade the areas surrounding some of our beautiful beaches, such as Repulse Bay, Deep Water Bay and Shek O. Further develop a promenade all around our fragrant harbour for cycling, running or walking, with proper seating areas for the elderly. Spruce up some of our hiking trails with better signage. More infrastructure is needed around the cruise terminal. Encourage travel agencies to package Hong Kong with Asean or the Greater Bay Area – and promote our role as a tourism connector. Contact governments of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and pool resources to promote the region as a tourist destination. Develop supplements for leading travel magazines and newspaper travel sections, including special periodicals. One final suggestion is that various government bureaus should work together and coordinate to make things happen. We must change the silo mentality inherited from the colonial era via the administrative officer training programme. Hong Kong government officials should be encouraged to be more creative rather than play it safe. The Tourism Board must play an important role in bringing all relevant parties together. Paul M.F. Cheng, Mid-Levels Do we know Hong Kong’s unique selling point? I can’t agree more with Luisa Tam (“Less is more when it comes to Hong Kong staging ‘mega events’”, May 25). The government likes to flaunt numbers. But what are these events? Are they really “mega”? Who are we targeting? How do they make Hong Kong a must-go tourist destination? Several of the events seem to be regular conferences and trade shows, now called “mega”. One interesting example is the Asia Funeral and Cemetery Expo and Conference held earlier this month. While I would not dispute the importance of such an event, it’s hard to get what is so mega about it. Positioning is about knowing one’s unique selling point vis-à-vis the target customers. I am curious to know Hong Kong’s positioning statement as a tourist destination. Mainland tourists remain our major source market. What is unique about Hong Kong to them? I doubt if the Chinese Kungfu x Dance Carnival will appeal to them, but a samba, salsa or “mega” international dance carnival might. Hong Kong is different from mainland cities because of our cosmopolitan culture, but have we made the most of our strength? For instance, we could turn all of Hong Kong into a mega Lan Kwai Fong. We also need to entice foreign tourists back to Hong Kong. But why should they come to Hong Kong if they want to experience authentic Chinese culture? What’s unique about Hong Kong culture? There is a lot more to it than fish balls and egg tarts. How might Hong Kong reinvent Chinese culture for foreign palates? Think about why Hollywood can make films with Chinese elements that succeed globally. Hong Kong has done a poor job as salesperson; we don’t seem to know what we can offer. As we search our souls as to the future of Hong Kong tourism, let’s also engage members of our international communities and professionals to develop truly mega events that mainland and overseas tourists will find unique. We only need a few of such events. Rachel Chan, North Point Mind the invisible menace in clear skies The turbulence that hit flight SQ321 is extremely rare, but the fatality and serious injuries are a grim reminder of its dangers. According to a recent study, aircraft encounter moderate to severe turbulence 68,000 times a year. Out of many forms of turbulence, clear-air turbulence is an invisible menace. It cannot be detected by the naked eye, onboard sensors and even satellites. It can occur without warning at high altitudes, and the unstable air masses can be 100 miles wide and 300 miles long. According to atmospheric scientists, climate change is making clear-air turbulence more common. Although Nasa researchers are developing ground-mounted infrasonic microphones to pick up ultralow frequencies produced by turbulence, predicting clear air turbulence with today’s technology is extremely difficult. It is imperative that we wear our safety belts when we travel by air. Farouk Araie, Johannesburg

.css-1mniedq{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;}Readers discuss how to rejuvenate tourism, wonder about Hong Kong’s unique selling point as a destination, and worry about severe turbulence

Readers discuss how to rejuvenate tourism, wonder about Hong Kong’s unique selling point as a destination, and worry about severe turbulence