Peter Hoslin
Contributors are not employed, compensated or governed by TD, opinions and statements are from the contributor directly
Could you elaborate on Hong Kong Tourism Board’s plans for the region?
We are just at the beginning of a fresh approach for the Middle East. In general, Hong Kong as a destination has a good profile in the region which is focussed a lot on business and trade. In this regard, Hong Kong’s trade with UAE has grown just under 40% in the last year. However, the tourism profile needs a refresh and that is main reason for my visit.
We are taking this opportunity to understand the trade and know them better. At the same time, we also want to improve our profile of the brand so that they can help drive traffic into the country. We are really at a fact finding stage to figure out the best way to position ourselves. We see the travel trade as being very important to us. Over the next 12 months, we want to start a fresh engagement with the trade.
To build our brand, we have taken on Gulf Reps to represent us in the region. We are taking advantage of their experience in the market to re-engage with the trade. Both Gulf Reps and HKTB will be spending more time in the GCC to understand needs and working with the trade.
What has been tourist numbers into Hong Kong globally?
For year to June, we have grown 13.6% which is a positive indication. The GCC has also grown at 8.3% with the UAE growing very strongly at 20%. These tourist numbers are a combination of business and leisure segments. We classify the Middle East as a new market for us which is along with Russia, India, Vietnam and The Netherlands. All these markets have great economic and travel potential.
Which regions would you like to tap into within the Middle East?
Saudi Arabia holds great potential and is a major focus for us. Gulf Reps has a Saudi office so we will use these mediums to interact with the trade. Our main focus would be the UAE and Saudi but we will equally focus on Oman and Qatar and to some extent Bahrain. Turkey is also a strong market for us. HKTB has 20 key markets which has primary investments and the Middle East as a group is one of them.
How would you look at positioning Hong Kong?
As mentioned before, we are in the process of refreshing our approach for the region. The primary markets for us would be families and young travellers. We conducted a consumer event with Al Rais Travels in Dubai which is focused on the Arab traveller. There is also great potential from the expat population. Taking these positive developments ahead, we will move towards more co-operative programs with the trade. We would also look at bringing the trade to Hong Kong to better understand and experience the destination.
What kind of developments infrastructure-wise can we look forward to in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong is constantly refreshing. We have the Sky100 Observatory Platform. We also have a new cruise terminal which opened in June this year. The cruise terminal also showcases convention facilities. In terms of the family product, we have Disney which is doing much more within the park; then there is Ocean Park which is also opening up new attractions. Further, we have a scheme where we are encouraging entrepreneurs to develop new travel products. Through this scheme, we have a panel of experts from the travel industry and HKTB that select six new products every year. HKTB in return will promote and jointly fund their promotion. Some of the new developments include food-focused tours and a showcase of a village on stilts among others. This gives people a real cultural immersion. We will have a new batch rolling out in a few months by early next year.
Would HKTB have an online specialist program for the trade?
We have our online portal for the trade which is a B2B system called PartnerNet. This was rolled out earlier end of 2012. We also have a revamped online product for the trade which will be rolled out later this year. This is a self-paced training program. This dovetails very well with our digital strategy for this market. We have been investing a lot in technology especially mobile apps to aid tourist better plan their journey and navigate around the destination. There are also some augmented apps as well on offer.
What facilities are available for Muslim travellers?
We have a strong Muslim visitation into Hong Kong. The food offering is growing especially with Halal restaurants. We are also linking with other third party apps to showcase different attractions and food options. In terms of attractions, in the middle of Kowloon, there is a big mosque which is frequently visited by Muslim travellers.
Which are your top global markets?
China is number one followed by Taiwan, Japan, USA and South Korea.
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