Industry leaders call for more engaging experiences as tourism minister Rosanna Law writes to Post to promote road map. — SCMP
Hong Kong should consider launching an all-in-one app for visitors and using technology to create more engaging experiences for them as the government wants to raise its game through smart tourism, industry leaders have said.
Their calls followed a commitment by authorities to leverage innovation and technology as one of four strategies to reinvent the sector over the next five years under a road map, titled “The Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism Industry 2.0”.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Culture Rosanna Law Shuk-pui wrote to the Post on Tuesday to promote the blueprint.
“It is not just a road map, but also a pragmatic and forward-looking action plan,” she said.
“We will also encourage smart tourism applications at various touch points throughout the visitor journey and enhance the capability of Hong Kong’s tourism industry in utilising innovative technologies to bring greater convenience and a better experience to visitors.”
Industry leaders offered several recommendations but they said a one-stop app was key.
“Currently, the apps available for tourists in Hong Kong are very fragmented. Some provide information on traffic and weather, but there is no one-stop service,” said Timothy Chui Ting-pong, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association.
He added that the government should roll out an all-in-one app for tourists to access different information, including on traffic, bookings and the weather.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board has listed 15 recommended apps for visitors on its webpage, including “MyObservatory” for weather information, the airport’s “My HKG”, and “Octopus for Tourists” for payments.
Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun said: “We can develop a mobile app to integrate real-time visitor numbers and estimated waiting times for some museums and attractions, as well as to provide information about nearby shopping malls, toilets and accessible facilities.”
He said the government could consider creating an augmented reality mobile game similar to Pokemon Go, allowing tourists to “catch pandas” and exchange points for souvenirs.
Sara Leung Fong-yuen, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Tourism Industry Employees General Union, agreed that the city was lagging in providing visitors with essential information through mobile apps.
“There is significant room for improvement in delivering accurate and comprehensive information to tourists via mobile phones,” Leung said, adding that the government should consider having an integrated and targeted app specifically for tourists.
In terms of app functions, she suggested providing real-time information on popular photo-shoot spots, traffic conditions for tourists, and available parking spaces for tourist agencies and coach drivers.
Leung said the government should stop proposing projects that “look fancy but can’t engage visitors”.
Instead, she advocated for the use of multimedia and virtual reality to create interactive experiences at various tourist destinations, with the aim of promoting authentic Hong Kong culture and festivals.
James Tung Pui-chuen, managing director of the Ngong Ping 360 cable car tourist attraction, said the company had gradually introduced tech-related features over the last five years to upgrade the visitor experience and would further enhance these efforts.
He said augmented reality and virtual reality in theatres, for example, would create immersive experiences and allow visitors to increase interactions with exhibits.
To better manage footfall and crowds, the company had deployed artificial intelligence-driven systems for counting people and visitor queues.
“This helps crowd control, optimises visitor capacity and retail sales, shortening queuing time, and even shuttle service arrangements during service interruptions,” Tung said.
“We are committed to continuously enhancing our smart tourism elements and working closely with the government and industry to provide greater convenience and an enhanced experience for visitors.”
The tourism blueprint released last month aims to boost the economy by HK$120bil (RM69bil or US$15.5bil) in five years, with the industry employing 210,000 people. Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong, has twice singled out the tourism industry as key to the city’s economic development.
Following the blueprint’s release, the Hong Kong Tourism Board announced plans to enhance its Discover Hong Kong website as a one-stop travel information platform.
The initiative aims to provide visitors with more comprehensive and reliable travel information, including improvements in the dissemination of museum information and key travel-related websites and applications.
The plan also includes a live travel map and a smart itinerary planner, which will offer visitors real-time recommendations for nearby attractions, activities and offers, as well as personalised itinerary suggestions tailored to their interests and preferences. – South China Morning Post
