Chapter 3 Nation Branding and Tourism:
3.3 Hong Kong
3.3.2 Tourism Resources
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policies in the year of 2010. The major principle of tourism strategies are focusing on becoming the travel center of Asia and the development of MICE. In order to have a basic comparison and contrast with Japan and other countries, this thesis would focus on the tourism policy on the aspect of tourism resources, marketing, and finally the analysis of this thesis on it.
3.3.2 Tourism Resources
Since 2003, Hong Kong government has scheduled the Plan of Improved
Tourism Area, which includes transportation connection, environment integration, culture reservation. In the following, this thesis would describe them separately.
3.3.2.1 Transportation Connection
In terms of the transportation connection, first of all by the end of 2007, the Hong Kong government planned to establish the transportation of Eastern part of Tsim Sha Tsui, which built up Tsim Sha Tsui East Coastal Platform Park connecting two bridges over the local areas and the foster of economic and travel activities.
Second, in order to make Hong Kong as the travel center of Asia, the Hong Kong government organized two ports for large-sized ferry at Kai Tak area by the end of 2013, which connects the airport and the nearby local area.
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3.3.2.2 Environment Integration
On the part of environment integration, Hong Kong government focuses on regional locations, including Sai Kung Town coastline, Central and Western district, Ocean Park, and Green Travel in Eastern part of Hong Kong, and Tsim Sha Tsui Coastal Corridor. First, by the end of 2003, the government focused on the improvement of famous tourists spots. For instance, the authority planned to
redesigned the street views and entertainment locations for catering more tourists to come and rest in Sai Kung Town coast line where it is famous for garden landscape and natural scenery. By the end of 2005, the government planned to improved Central and Western district, especially on the road and traffic sign as well as the connection to famous bar street Lan Kwai Fong.
On the other hand, by the end of 2008, the government planned to improve tourism sign around Hong Kong and the green tourist spots in Northeastern part of Hong Kong. In terms of the tourism sign improvement, the authority planned to set and improved comprehensive tourism signs, including traffic direction sign, map information sign and tourists spot information sign to provide convenient and tourist friendly information in 18 districts of tourist spots.
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3.3.2.3 Culture Reservation
During the year of 2006 to 2010, Hong Kong government has planned to
enhance the traditional features in local culture and conventional fishing port to attract more tourists both domestically and internationally and preserve the traditional culture, through several strategies in Coastline Corridor and Ap Lei Chau Main Street,
including facilities improvement in coastline area; sufficient sign information for tourists, such as sign, souvenir shops, and local culture introduction; environment improvement, such as the redesign of street and roads toward Ap Lei Chau Main Street and develop the business commercial circle potential of it. (Hong Kong Tourism Commissions, 2010)
3.3.3 Tourism Marketing
In terms of the tourism marketing strategies, Hong Kong government rebuilt the national image of tourism covering from SARS, the international disease and broaden the overseas potential market, and constructed its nation branding through regional cooperation.
3.3.3.1 Rebuilt of the National Image
Fan (2006) mentioned, time would be an essential factor to influence tourists'
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association of the country brand. In 2002, Hong Kong broken out severe acute
respiratory syndrome, or SARS, which strongly influenced the economic development of it, especially the tourism industry. Therefore, after Hong Kong has recovered from the SARS disease, the Hong Kong government rebuilt the national image of Hong Kong though media report and promotion video internationally. From those
promotion videos and media report, the government tried to rebuilt a positive national image from the shadow of disease and eliminated the tension that international tourist are worrying about.
In order to continue the action of rebuilt Hong Kong image, the Hong Kong government promoted the Project of "Global Travel Promotion Plan", from which it covers two phrases. First, the government invited international travel agents and media to visit Hong Kong, and provided several travel package with discounts to increase the motivation of international tourists, which turned the growth of tourist numbers from negative turning into the positive growth. Further, the government selected Jackie Chan as the tourism ambassador and having promotion video in public, including advertisements, public activities, international conference or meeting.
Second, the government increased the motivation for international tourists to revisit through providing culture Festival as the core value and package tour accommodation for the increase of the tourists and their motivation.
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3.3.3.2 Broaden the Potential Market
As a long term running company brand, the Hong Kong government has set up clear targeted market and specific promoting strategies. According to Hong Kong Tourism Commission, the major potential market of international tourists could be divided into seven districts, including China, Taiwan, Northeastern Asia, Southeastern Asia, European countries, Canada and the United States, and Oceania countries. In terms of China, Taiwan, Southeastern Asia, and European countries, the Hong Kong government focused on the tourists of the specific teenage groups and family groups.
For instance, for tourists from China, the government promoted the self-help tourism package with the local media company as well as cooperated with travel agents at eight major cities in China to provide more efficient and direct tourism service. In Taiwan, Hong Kong government chose to cooperate with package tour with local tourism agency through the connection between flight and ferry
transportation, and promoted more package tours in Taipei International Tour Exhibition. While in market of southeastern Asia, Hong Kong put much more
attention on the Muslim tourist group through more promotion on the Internet and set more airline in low-cost carrier or LCC service. Finally, in terms of the tourists from Europe, Hong Kong government seized the trend of China craze and promote Hong
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Kong local culture life style meanwhile they connected the package tour with the southeastern Asia to provide comprehensive and continuous tour service.
In terms of the market of Canada and the U.S., Australia and New Zealand, as well as northeastern Asia, the Hong Kong government focused much more on family group tourists. For example, for tourists from northeastern Asia countries, such as Japan and South Korea, Hong Kong government focused on company group travels and office ladies. Therefore, they cooperated with the international flight to provide office lady oriented tour packages toward Japanese market. Also, Hong Kong government provided direct flights in two more secondary cities. On the other hand, for American countries, the government focused on the family and senior citizen tourist groups, and therefore they provided specific package tours for these two specific tourist groups, with different business brands in promotion campaign such as local cuisine and shopping tour. While for Australia and New Zealand, the
government promoted the image of Hong Kong as the relay station during the trip to Europe. In addition, they provided the package tour for family and senior citizen tourists in Australia and New Zealand with the combination of Chinese package.
(Hong Kong Tourism Commissions, 2009)
3.3.3.3 Construction of National Brand through Regional Cooperation
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Considering the brand image in tourism, Hong Kong government established the Hong Kong brand through the characteristics of Hong Kong. According to the result from survey investigations, they found the most popular association with Hong Kong in tourism are culture, freedom, and excellence. Among these characteristics, most of the tourists recognized the advantage of Hong Kong in tourists covering several features, including creative innovation, advanced metropolitan, active progress and comprehensive network. After recognizing the unique features of Hong Kong, the tourism authority promoted the characteristics of Hong Kong through the geographic location in Asia-Pacific region as well as Chinese craze trend. Therefore, the tourism authority launched the platform Hong Kong Plus, which provides one trip with
several neighboring countries. For instance, from the platform Hong Kong Plus, Hong Kong government provided package tour with the tourism authority with Beijing, Shanghai, and Hainan Island in South China Sea, from which the tourists could enjoy not only the characteristics and culture in Hong Kong, but also the travel experience neighboring countries. On the one hand, the tourism platform Hong Kong Plus provided the combination package tour for the tourists with multiple culture and nation features. On the other hand, tourists could benefit from platform to enjoy the trip with lower cost in time and budget.
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3.3.4 Tourism Analysis
After the outbreak of SARS disease, the economic activities and tourism have suffered from the great impact. Therefore, Hong Kong government makes good use of relevant resources to improve the national image through tourism, including the
improvement in tourism facilities and information as well as transportation between the tourists resorts and local cities. Second, in terms of marketing strategies, to erase the negative impact brought by SARS in tourism development, Hong Kong
government created new positive national brand with active and comprehensive promotion campaign through international media report and tourist ambassadors. In addition, the government analyzed its major tourists markets, and tailored the specific package tour to meet the preference of different tourists groups around the world.