Dueling disneylands?
- Source: Global Times
- [05:39 November 19 2009]
- Comments
"Hong Kong's target areas are southern China and southeast Asian countries. Shanghai's market focus will be northern and eastern China. That is for sure."
Michael Wu, the chairman of the Hong Kong Associations of Travel Agents, echoed Kam's remarks and said he doesn't believe Shanghai Disneyland will affect the number of travelers to Hong Kong in general.
The city is still a regional and international sightseeing and tourist destination for many, he said.
Finance, trading and logistics, professional and business support, and tourism are four core industries in Hong Kong.
According to official statistics, the tourism industry only makes up 3 percent of the city's GDP, but its trickle down effect is much larger than the number suggests.
It also drives transportation, catering, hotels and retailing, so its influence to the HK society is more meaningful than the number suggests.
In addition to worries over a bigger Mouse in Shanghai, Singapore and its tourist island, Sentosa with its upcoming Resort Worlds featuring a new Universal Studios Singapore theme park, is another cause for Hong Kong tourist industry concern.
"I'm afraid it will attract tourists from South China and Southeast Asia who might otherwise come to Hong Kong," Wu said. "But new attractions in Singapore bring synergy effects and it is also a food lovers' paradise and an air transport hub, similar to Hong Kong."
Resorts World is fully aware of the synergy effect, one reason that its vice director of corporate communications, Lin Shun Hua, was in Hong Kong in early November to promote Universal Studios Singapore to the city's travel agencies and media.
"About 10 million tourists from the Chinese mainland travel to Singapore every year, ranking second to Indonesia," Lin told the Global Times. "Following the opening of the Universal Studios, the Greater China tourists will be our main source of visitors. We believe more and more Chinese families will come here."
