Hong Kong's image-branding<\/p>\n
By Grace Emilia<\/p>\n
HONG KONG (JP): \"Buy this Hong Kong flag pin Madam, only
\nHK$4!\" offered a street hawker on bustling Nathan Road.<\/p>\n
I stopped walking when the hawker continued in a friendly
\ntone, \"the red background color represents mainland China and the
\nflowers on it represent Hong Kong. Hong Kong is part of China.
\nBuy this new China.\"<\/p>\n
I bought the pin. Not for the pin itself, but because of the
\nhawker's friendliness and explanation.<\/p>\n
Before visiting Hong Kong, friends had warned me of the
\nrudeness of Hong Kong's people. An impression heightened by Hong
\nKong action movies keen on depicting sadistic mafia scenes, a
\npart of my brain had registered this Hong Kong stereotype.<\/p>\n
It, therefore, came as quite a surprise to see some people who
\nwere actually very friendly. It seems Hong Kong Tourist
\nAssociation's \"Be a Good Host\" campaign in the past two years has
\nborne results.<\/p>\n
\"This unfriendly image stems from the fact that Hong Kong is
\nsmall and competition is high so the people are quite tense,\"
\nsays Michael Currie, travel editor of South China Morning Post.
\nMeanwhile Ada Tang from Kowloon-based TVB Publication reasons
\nthat the trait is caused by lack of education. This trait, he
\nexplained, was more predominant in those born in mainland China
\nwho moved to Hong Kong during the 40s.<\/p>\n
Given the not so favorable cultural image, plus its limited
\nnatural resources, compared to Indonesia, it is amazing that this
\ncity with a population of 6.4 million received over 13 million
\nvisitors in 2000 generating some HK$76.4 billion (US$ 9.7
\nbillion) or about 5 percent of Hong Kong's GDP.<\/p>\n
\"Tourism spending makes tourism one of the biggest
\ncontributors to the Hong Kong economy.\" says Selina Chow, the
\nchairman of Hong Kong Tourism Board.<\/p>\n
The World Tourism Organization is even projecting that this
\nspecial administrative region (SAR) will receive 22.5 million
\narrivals a year by 2010 and 56 million by 2020. Within Asia, only
\nmainland China receives more visitors each year, making Hong Kong
\nAsia's single most popular destination.<\/p>\n
How is this possible?<\/p>\n
Continuous worldwide promotion and branding of Hong Kong as
\nthe \"City of Life\" since 1998 is one answer, combined with strong
\nsupport from the government to make Hong Kong SAR a major tourism
\ndestination.<\/p>\n
This branding effort has helped Hong Kong to secure two PATA
\n(Pacific Asia Travel Association) Gold Awards for best
\nInternational Marketing Program (over US$5 million) and best web
\nsite (www.DiscoverHongKong.com) in the latest PATA Conference in
\nKuala Lumpur ended on April 12.<\/p>\n
In 1995, the HK Tourism Board's visitor and tourism study
\nrecommended that HK should place more emphasis on educational,
\nheritage, culture and participatory travel experience. The latest
\ninternational market research studies also showed that 57 percent
\nof respondents in the U.S. cited \"experiencing cultures new and
\ninteresting to you\" as a key factor in deciding on a destination.
\nForty percent of respondents in the United Kingdom expressed a
\ndesire for different kinds of experiences to \"refresh the
\nspirit\"; whilst nearly 30 percent of Japanese respondents
\nendorsed Chinese festive arts and cultural activities.<\/p>\n
Based on this finding, Hong Kong Tourism Board, formerly the
\nHong Kong Tourist Association, launched a special two-year
\ncommunity-wide project entitled \"City of Life: Hong Kong is it!\"<\/p>\n
This US$30.8 million project started on April 1 this year when
\nthe Chief Executive of Hong Kong SAR Tung Chee-hwa launched it
\nwith a spectacular lighting and pyrotechnic display on Hong
\nKong's harbor front.<\/p>\n
\"Our aim is to build and expand Hong Kong's established
\nstrengths in shopping, dining, events and entertainment by adding
\ndepth to the tourist experience with activity-based involvement.
\nAt the same time, we want to add breadth to the Hong Kong product
\ngeographically, by expanding the profile of attraction and
\nactivities beyond well-known areas\" adds Clara Chong, newly
\nappointed executive director of Hong Kong Tourism Board.<\/p>\n
\"Hong Kong's uniqueness is contained in one magic word:
\nContrast!\" Chong continues. We intend to tell the world that Hong
\nKong as a destination is \"life\" in all its glorious shapes and
\nforms, a living fusion of East and West, old and new, traditional
\nand modern.\"<\/p>\n
A good promotion indeed. Can Indonesia learn from this?<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hong-kongs-image-branding-1447893297", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }