Letters | More roads lead to Hong Kong: how to improve tourist spending
- Readers discuss ways to attract more visitors from mainland China and belt and road countries, and the success of the Chinese New Year Cup
We lament that tourists are not spending. A friend of mine who is of Southeast Asian descent told me his daughter’s wedding banquet in Hong Kong, even at a friendship price, would cost HK$16,000 per table in a reputable five-star hotel on Hong Kong Island, whereas the event in a top Chinese restaurant in Johor Bahru in Malaysia with a similar menu would cost only HK$4,000 a table.
Johor Bahru is becoming very popular with northeastern Chinese tourists, given that the weather is good and the hospitality friendly and economical. When I searched several hotel booking platforms, the most expensive hotel in Johor Bahru during the current Chinese New Year period was about HK$550 per night. What bargains do we offer in Hong Kong?
They would still find Ocean Park and the Disneyland here attractive. Tourists from Central Asia, Southeast Asia and India are interested in Hong Kong.
Vietnam is fast catching up and so are Indonesia, Cambodia and Laos. Thailand is already a competitor. Isn’t it time our tourism heads revisited our strategies?
Joseph Chan, chairman, Silk Road Economic Development Research Centre
Chinese New Year Cup shows the city’s star appeal
The Chinese New Year Cup on February 13 did not disappoint. Apart from my favourite player Robert Pires, there were also Spanish stars David Villa, Carles Puyol and Fernando Morientes, as well as Alessandro Del Piero, Wesley Sneijder, David James, Mikael Silvestre and Juan Sebastian Veron.
Just like the game less than a month ago, the tickets were quite cheap. I was not only happy to see these players still fit and passionate about football, but their enthusiasm for playing in and visiting Hong Kong also made us proud. It gave us much-needed reassurance that Hong Kong is still an international metropolis that both ordinary people and big names love to visit.
The match is proof that as long as the government is supportive and we have the right organisers, we can stage events that delight people, regardless of their age, gender, ethnicity and background. Let’s keep up the momentum and host more great events, whether sports matches, races, exhibitions, concerts or business conferences. Hong Kong is a special place; we can do this.
Tony Cheung, Kennedy Town