Hong Kong is on track to becoming the most desirable destination in Asia and, perhaps, the world, with a set of infrastructure projects enhancing its connectivity to mainland China.
The region’s newest developments include a new Express Rail Link and the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge effectively making it part of a 21st century Maritime Silk Road.
“The Greater Bay Area has the means to rival Tokyo, San Francisco and New York – the world’s three renowned bay areas – in tourism potential. With a collective population of 70 million, the Bay Area boasts a combined GDP of some US$1.5 trillion, that is roughly the size of Australia or South Korea,” said Hong Kong’s chief executive, Carrie Lam.
“The Greater Bay Area’s tourism offerings are wide-ranging and undeniably inviting – from cosmopolitan, East-meets-West Hong Kong and the entertainment capital of the world, Macao, to the rich Chinese culture and heritage of the Greater Bay Area’s nine Mainland cities. At the same time, the Greater Bay Area is an important source market for other economies given its high level of affluence.”
Tourism provides five per cent of Hong Kong’s GDP. The city received over 58.5 million visitors in 2017 – 48 million from Mainland China. Hong Kong has also been ranked by Euromonitor as the world’s most visited city.
The new connectivity will open to tourists nine neighbouring Mainland cities of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area – namely Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Foshan, Huizhou, Dongguan, Zhongshan, Jiangmen and Zhaoqing.
According to Hong Kong Tourism Board Executive Director Anthony Lau, by “combining the firepower of 11 cities, it will make the whole region a more attractive proposition” for travellers.
“If we market Hong Kong as a mono-destination, with limiting infrastructure, Hong Kong tourism will be gone in 10 years,” Lau said.
Hong Kong’s Financial Secretary, Paul Chan, is also a big fan of the plan.
“Hong Kong as the world’s most visited city, freest economy, top financial centre, safest city, and one which has one of the world’s best educational facilities and the world’s top hotel brands, is your ready partner to leverage on the opportunities offered by the two initiatives,” he said.
Read more at Travel Weekly
Have you been to Hong Kong? Would such a link to mainland China be incentive to get you there?
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