Dane Cheng will be expected to ease the impact of Hong Kong’s protests on visitor numbers when he starts his new job as executive director of Hong Kong Tourism Board later this week. Photo: Handout
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https://scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hong-kong-economy/article/3035412/former-cathay-executive-appointed-head-hong-kong Hong Kong economy
Former Cathay executive appointed head of Hong Kong Tourism Board to rescue protest-hit industry suffering worst downturn since Sars
- Dane Cheng’s first task is to reduce impact of demonstrations on battered sector, lawmaker says
- Board chairman says he is confident Cheng will oversee turnaround in city tourism’s fortunes despite ‘huge challenges’
Visitor numbers to Hong Kong have taken a hammering from the ongoing anti-government protests, but the tourism board has high hopes its new executive director can lead the sector’s revival. Photo: EPA-EFE
A former senior executive at Cathay Pacific Airways and developer Hang Lung Properties has been put in charge of reviving Hong Kong tourism amid its worst slump since Sars.
Dane Cheng Ting-yat is due to start his role as executive director of Hong Kong Tourism Board on Friday, succeeding Anthony Lau Chun-hon who stepped down in July to pursue personal interests.
A lawmaker has said Cheng’s first job was to reduce the impact of protests on the industry and the reliance it had on mainland Chinese visitors.
“I am very pleased to have Mr Cheng joining the [board] at this moment in time when the tourism industry faces huge challenges,” the board’s chairman Pang Yiu-kai said in a statement.
“I am certain that Mr Cheng will lead the team to overcome the current difficulties.”
Hong Kong’s tourism industry has been hit hard by the ongoing protests, which were ignited in June by the now-withdrawn extradition bill, but have morphed into a wider anti-government movement.
The citywide demonstrations, which have turned increasingly violent over 21 consecutive weekends, continue to blight the city, compounding the misery caused by the enduring US-China trade war.
Tourist arrivals fell nearly 40 per cent in August from the same month last year and about 50 per cent for the first 15 days of October, which includes the “golden week”, a major Chinese holiday period.
It was the worst downturn since the outbreak of severe acute respiratory syndrome in 2003.
Tourism lawmaker Yiu Si-wing estimated in September that hotel occupancy had plunged below 50 per cent from the usual rate of 90 per cent.
Between October 1 and 24, meanwhile, 19 shows in the West Kowloon cultural district were cancelled or had to change dates, its operator said.
The board, which is supported by government funding to promote the city as a travel destination, said Cheng had over 30 years of experience working with Cathay Pacific and held senior positions in areas such as general management and marketing.
Cheng left the airline in 2017 due to a major restructuring before working for Hang Lung Properties between 2017 and 2019, it said.
“His tourism industry experience is rich,” Yiu said on Cheng’s appointment.
“He knows the mainland [China] and overseas markets well. I think he has the experience and vision for the role of executive director.”
The legislator said while the first job for Cheng was to reduce the impact of protests on the industry, he looked forward to seeing new strategies from the board after the unrest subsides, such as attracting more tourists from parts of the world other than the mainland.
“The board can explore other angles, such as marketing campaigns to attract visitors from diverse markets, and raise Hong Kong’s competitiveness against rivals Macau and Singapore,” Yiu said.
The Hong Kong government announced a HK$100 million cash incentive to travel agents last week to bring in more visitors, funded by the tourism board.
However, industry experts did not think the measure would help travel agents because it was the protests that had led tourists to shun the city.