Face Off: Will the ‘Hello Hong Kong’ campaign help revive tourism?
- Each week, two of our readers debate a hot topic in a showdown that doesn’t necessarily reflect their personal viewpoints
- This round, they discuss whether the government’s new plan to attract travellers will be successful
The government’s new “Hello Hong Kong” campaign features stars like Aaron Kwok, Kelly Chen and Sammi Cheng. Photo: Discover Hong Kong/YouTubeIf you are interested in joining future Face Off debates, fill out this form to submit your application.
For: Wong Hoi-yu, 13, St Paul’s Co-educational College
“Hello Hong Kong” is a large-scale global promotional campaign that aims to highlight new attractions, developments and opportunities for visitors travelling to the city. There is no doubt the government’s campaign will revive Hong Kong’s tourism industry.
First and foremost, “Hello Hong Kong” provides tourists with cash vouchers and other special offers, encouraging them to explore the city.
Moreover, it gives them the invaluable opportunity to traverse our unique Sino-Western culture, which includes distinctive street food and skyscrapers with fusion architectural styles. This will help local businesses that rely on tourist dollars as they suffered greatly during the pandemic’s travel restrictions.
In addition, many tourist spots, such as the contemporary art museum M+ and the renovated Tai Kwun, have emerged as must-see spots over the last few years, giving travellers new places to visit and offering them a glimpse of Hong Kong in a post-pandemic world.
The campaign will also invite prominent business leaders and influential figures to Hong Kong, allowing the city to be more exposed to the world. Welcoming public figures from all around the world could show that we are still Asia’s world city. This will also allow business magnates to see Hong Kong’s investment potential and could lead to more jobs.
Many fashion retailers closed their stores in the city amid the pandemic, but the return of tourists might encourage them to set up shop again. Moves like this could help Hong Kong regain its reputation as a shopper’s paradise and create more retail jobs.
As part of the “Hello Hong Kong” campaign, various large-scale events are scheduled to take place over the next few months, such as the Affordable Art Fair in May. The city already held two major music festivals, Clockenflap and Creamfields, as well as the Rugby 7s.
People from around the world will want to visit Hong Kong to experience its exuberant atmosphere. If we continue organising a variety of events, we will surely keep bringing in visitors.
“Hello Hong Kong” will revive tourism in the blink of an eye.
Has Hong Kong’s tourism industry returned to normal?
Against: Serene Chan, 17, Leweston School (UK)
The Covid-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the global tourism industry, and Hong Kong is no exception. The “Hello Hong Kong” campaign has been touted as a means to revive the city’s ailing travel sector.
However, this campaign is unlikely to bear fruit and may even be counterproductive.
To start, “Hello Hong Kong” is a simplistic approach to a complex issue. The city’s tourism industry has been severely disrupted by an array of factors, including the pandemic, political turmoil, and economic instability. A catchy slogan and a few welcoming faces may not be enough to address these fundamental problems.
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“Hello Hong Kong” risks oversimplifying the image of Hong Kong as a holiday spot. By focusing only on the warm and hospitable aspects of the city, the initiative could fail to address the concerns and challenges that potential visitors may have.
For example, travellers may be hesitant to visit Hong Kong due to political concerns, and a simple “hello” may not be enough to assuage their fears.
The campaign has been criticised for promoting unsustainable forms of tourism. While this may be profitable in the short term, the influx of tourists not only exacerbates existing overcrowding issues but also has the potential to dilute the city’s culture as restaurants and businesses cater more to foreign visitors than to local needs and tastes.
Another issue with the superficial campaign is that it may divert attention from more pressing measures that could also benefit the tourism industry. Investing in local infrastructure, reducing plastic pollution, reducing inequality and generally improving the lives of local people may be more effective long-term tactics to build up the city.
Hong Kong may miss out on more impactful opportunities for boosting tourism if it only focuses on a campaign that has little depth.
While the “Hello Hong Kong” campaign may have altruistic motives, it is an ineffective and counterproductive approach to rejuvenating the tourism industry.
To confront the underlying issues plaguing the city’s tourism sector, a more comprehensive strategy is needed.