China’s “Belt and Road” initiative offers once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for various business sectors in Hong Kong SAR, and will strengthen the city’s traditional role as the “super connector” and global financial hub, while driving growth for next-generation businesses, panelists told the China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable on Thursday. Such opportunities are for countries along the “Belt and Road” to pursue, and all shareholders must strive to explore the potential available, they urged. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, in a keynote address to the roundtable forum, themed “Hong Kong Unleashing the Potential of ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative”, said Hong Kong will be the best placed Chinese city to contribute to the “Belt and Road” initiative if the SAR can lift its social capital. “More than a city of China, Hong Kong maintains a reputable standing and valuable connections in the international arena,” he told the forum, jointly organized by China Daily and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC). “That sets us apart from other cities on the mainland and overseas. That’s how we can unleash the tremendous potential of the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative. “The ‘Belt and Road’ will help power the future for the Chinese mainland, for over 60 economies along the link and for Hong Kong. All of us can take part in this once-in-a-lifetime journey if we seize the opportunity today,” Leung said. Launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013, the “Belt and Road” strategy aims to boost trade ties and facilitate economic cooperation among 65 economies along the ancient silk route. With China as the starting point, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road will stretch to Eastern Europe, Central and South Asia, as well as the east coast of Africa. In welcoming remarks, Zhou Li, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily Asia Pacific, told the conference: “At a time of general slowdown in markets worldwide, forging and renewing trade ties between different economies is the only way forward. This is also a moment of stocktaking and introspection — a moment to assess the strategic importance of our place in the program.” “The ‘Belt and Road’ initiative holds great promise for Hong Kong, both in terms of its own growth as a major economic force, as well as in its ability to contribute to the economic prosperity of China,” Zhou said. HKGCC Chairman Y.K. Pang called the “Belt and Road” initiative a “game changer” for many countries. Supporting growth “They don’t necessarily have enough money, resources, manpower or expertise to lift their development to the next level. But China, through the initiative, will support and accelerate growth of those countries, much faster than what would be organically possible. Our members are very excited to be part of something bigger — to change the livelihood of people in the ‘Belt and Road’ regions,” he said. “Hong Kong has a major role to play in the initiative. We have the proximity that Beijing and Shanghai don’t,” Pang stressed, adding that 80 percent of the ‘Belt and Road’ countries are within a five-hour flight from Hong Kong. “Even not in infrastructure, engineering or finance, Hong Kong companies will be able to tap into the consumption money in ‘Belt and Road’ economies, as investments would trickle down from these sectors.” Chow Chung-kong, chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd, told the gathering that the initiative is “a real driver of economic growth”. “More than just the redistribution of wealth, it’s the engine to create new economic dynamics. Hong Kong can facilitate such economic activities and benefit from them.” He said the existing funding is not enough to fund the goals of the initiative. “To make the ‘Belt and Road’ succeed, the commercial sector must get involved. Unless the ‘smart money’ is invested in sensible and profitable projects, the initiative will not achieve its full potential. Fundraising is where Hong Kong can play a key role, either through simple syndicated loans, bond issuance or in the equity market.” However, Chow warned that “opportunities are not served on a silver plate”. “Until we can build up knowledge of the economies along the routes and the sectors that require investment, we cannot fully explore the opportunities.” Tackling new markets Victor Fung Kwok-king, chairman of Fung Group, said the “Belt and Road” initiative will further lift Hong Kong’s traditional position as the world’s “super-connector” and help the city seize emerging market opportunities. “Looking forward for 30 years, the global consumption pattern is shifting rapidly. In developing countries arise the new middle class. The ‘Belt and Road’ is a linkage and a handle to tackle these new markets,” he said. Lincoln Leong Kwok-kuen, chief executive officer of MTR Corporation Ltd (MTRC), said: “Super connectivity is bridging culture divide, taking Hong Kong to work with companies on the mainland, outside of Hong Kong and mainland domain.” In terms of a new business model, he said it needs to be not just relevant, but also highly competitive in the “Belt and Road” countries. “One of the things we have been spearheading at MTRC is the business model in Hong Kong, which many countries try to replicate,” Leong said. “We incorporate property and infrastructure development and take external profits from the property and internalize it to help finance infrastructure development.” To connect the 65 countries with different cultures, legal systems and ways of doing things along the linkage, Vincent Lo Hong-shui, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), said Hong Kong should become the hub for the “Belt and Road”. To start with, he said the HKTDC will launch a “Belt and Road” website in the near future to provide all information on the 65 countries. “Hopefully, we can identify investment opportunities and integrate them so that the world can get involved, because this is not a project China or any one company can take on its own.”
2015-10-30Vincent Lo Hong-sui, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), urged small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong to seize the new business opportunities the “Belt and Road” initiative is likely to open up. With 65 economies located along the “Belt and Road”, there will be opportunities for big as well as SMEs, given investments will be on different scales, allowing small companies, particularly in developing economies, to opt for smaller projects, Lo told China Daily. “Right now, Hong Kong is more service-oriented, so we should think about how we can facilitate investments from the Chinese mainland going into countries related to the ‘Belt and Road’, so that we can provide a supporting role, with our professional services, lawyers, accountants and investment banks,” he said. Lo felt Hong Kong would do well to focus on fundraising and organizing related activities, given the city’s status as Asia’s financial center. Meanwhile, Hong Kong investors can also team up with those from the mainland to go into the “Belt and Road”, said Lo. He added that most of the outbound investment will be focused on infrastructure projects to start with, triggering a demand for substantial funding and expertise in the field. While most manufacturing industries in Hong Kong had shifted their operations to the Pearl River Delta in the 1980s, a lot of them are considering relocating again because of the sharp increase in overheads. Lo suggested relocating to “Belt and Road” countries as these might be able to offer labor and infrastructure at competitive prices. He said that the HKTDC, a semi-government-sponsored organization, is expected to play a very strong role here, especially in terms of identifying opportunities and promoting these across the world. The HKTDC has organized trade shows, exhibitions, conferences as well as business matching arrangement, and will continue to do the same to promote the “Belt and Road” initiative, Lo said, adding that he has invited SMEs to participate in such expositions so as to identify the opportunities. “We will soon launch an information portal online containing all information related to the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative, the policies, the investment opportunities in the economies related to ‘Belt and Road’, and it will be a good way to help SMEs understand the initiatives,” he added. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/30/content_15337045.html
2015-10-30The “Belt and Road” initiative is expected to create a “big trickle-down effect” in regions along the routes, as demand for all sorts of goods and services from a wide spectrum of business will rise significantly, according to Y.K. Pang, chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC). The building industry will be the first to benefit from the vast opportunities arising from the initiative, raised by President Xi Jinping in 2013, Pang told China Daily in an exclusive interview on Thursday. Other services, involving the finance, accounting, legal and information-technology fields, will come around accordingly, he said. “As money is invested in those countries (along the ‘Belt and Road’), there’ll be plenty of demand for various things, for example, goods, supplies, retail services and even the need to entertain the people in those countries as their living conditions improve. There will be a big trickle-down effect because when money is invested in any location for any kind of business, it will spread across the whole society,” Pang said. Not only will big companies gain from the initiative, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are also set to benefit. The HKGCC chief reckons there’ll be a lot of design and technological work to do, citing the need to create new apps, portals and platforms. “These are things not only for large corporations, but also for SMEs.” Hong Kong SMEs will benefit too as money derived from infrastructure development will reach the pockets of ordinary citizens in those regions, thereby enhancing their consumption capability, Pang said. To better participate in the national strategy, Pang said the SAR needs to have a deeper understanding of the culture, geography and business environment of countries in the regions, and offer more training to Hong Kong people to help them adapt to and work in those economies. Hong Kong people may know markets on the Chinese mainland or in Singapore well enough, but as far as Cambodia, Vietnam or Sri Lanka are concerned, they do require better knowledge of them, Pang pointed out. “We need to understand how to fit in our efforts with the needs of markets in those areas. This is the only way for us to carry out the project successfully and make it a game-changing initiative.” Pang also called for greater cooperation with the mainland on various matters to reduce the risks associated with investments in the “Belt and Road” regions, such as how to work under different legal and accounting frameworks, the labor supply and the quality of labor for the projects involved. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/30/content_15337069.html
2015-10-30For Immediate Release PRESS RELEASE China Daily Forum on "Belt and Road" Era Potential "Hong Kong Unleashing the Potential of ‘Belt and Road Initiative'" Oct 29 2015, Hong Kong –China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable held a luncheon on: Hong Kong Unleashing the Potential of Belt and Road Initiative with a keynote address by The Honourable C Y Leung, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region between 11.30 am and 2.15 pm on Thursday, October 29, 2015 at Grand Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. Hong Kong, as an international financial capital, has the experience, expertise and the connections to serve as the “Super Connector” for the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s strategic initiative connecting 60 percent of the world’s population which accounts for 30 percent of the global GDP. What are the opportunities and challenges for Hong Kong in the “Belt and Road” era? What are the implications for the major business sectors in Hong Kong? Co-organized with the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, and supported by Hong Kong Economic Journal and Bloomberg Business Week, China Daily is delighted to have The Honourable C Y Leung, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region tonot only publish a signed articleon China Daily Hong Kong edition, but also deliver a keynote addresson “Hong Kong Unleashing the Potential of the Belt and Road Initiative”. “I believe our strength has been the ability to establish ourselves as an indispensable player in the global economy as well as the national development of China.” Said the Chief Executive. After his keynote speech, C Y Leung joined with Mr. C K Chow, Chairman, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd; Dr. Victor K. Fung, Group Chairman, Fung Group & Chairman, Advisory Board of Asia Global Institute; Mr. Lincoln Kwok Kuen Leong, Chief Executive Officer, MTR Corporation Ltd; Mr. Vincent H S Lo, Chairman, Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Mr. Y K Pang, Chairman, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce for an open panel to share their insights of Hong Kong’s development in the “Belt and Road” era. Mr. Zhou Li, Editorial Board Member, China Daily Group and Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, China Daily Asia Pacificdeliveredthe welcoming speech to demonstrate China Daily’s continuous effort in covering the strategic initiative, and relateddevelopment of Hong Kong and Asia. Mr. Lincoln Kwok Kuen Leong thinks the “Belt and Road”is bridging culture divide, taking Hong Kong to work with companies in the Chinese mainland, outside of Hong Kong and Chinese mainland domain; whileDr. Victor K. Fungis convinced that “every time there is a major change in China and the region, HK plays a significant role and we can always step up to the task.” Mr. C K Chow emphasized Hong Kong’s unique role in the great blueprint: “Hong Kong is part of China under ‘One Country Two Systems’ and that is where we will stand to compete and win.”Similarly, Mr. Vincent H S Lo sees “Belt and Road” as a golden chance for Hong Kong as long asthe city can restructure its economy and provide more opportunities for younger generation. Mr. Y K Pang believes there is a role to play in the “Belt and Road” initiative not only for large corporations, but also for small and medium-sized enterprises, as there will be a lot of work for them to do, like design, creating new apps, portals and platforms, etc. The Roundtable event attracted over 200 government officials, consul generals, and industry elites from local and abroad. ### About China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable The China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable is a by-invitation network of movers and shakers in Asia providing platforms for focused dialogue, issue investigation, and possible collective action on strategic issues relating to economic, business and social development in Asia. Our aim is to enhance communication and increase mutual understanding between China, Asian and Western countries. Roundtable events are held in major cities across Asia. (www.cdroundtable.com)
2015-10-29新聞稿 即時發布 政商界領袖齊聚中國日報論壇 暢談「一帶一路」與香港歷史新機遇 2015年10月29日 香港 - 中國日報今日主辦題為「一帶一路飛龍在天,香港歷史新機遇」的專題研討會,香港特別行政區行政長官梁振英出席作主題演講,並與香港交易及結算所有限公司主席周松崗;馮氏集團主席、香港大學「亞洲環球硏究所」顧問委員會主席馮國經;香港鐵路有限公司行政總裁梁國權;香港貿易發展局主席羅康瑞以及香港總商會主席彭耀佳深入探討了香港在「一帶一路」建設中的優勢與定位。 梁振英在主題演講中表示,香港的成功離不開國家,也離不開世界。香港不僅受惠於「一國兩制」和不斷發展的經濟一體化進程,同時也得益於與世界的緊密聯繫。因此,在「一帶一路」建設中,香港必將成為中國和世界的「超級連絡人」,增進與「一帶一路」沿線國家,乃至與全世界交流與合作。 擁有國際金融中心核心地位的香港,具備成熟的投資環境,以及優秀的專業人才以及龐大的商業脈絡,使其在「一帶一路」建設大方針下擔當著「超級連絡人」的獨特角色。國家的「一帶一路」建設,將會為世界約六成人口帶來深遠的影響,其相關發展收益預計將佔全球人均生產總值的三成。在「一帶一路」建設的新時代中,香港的支柱行業會受到影響,香港亦將面臨一系列機遇與挑戰。 香港交易及結算所有限公司主席周松崗特別指出,此次論壇題為「一帶一路飛龍在天」恰到好處,「飛龍在天」出自《易經》中講述人生六個階段的第五個階段。其中,第三個階段是努力工作,第四階段是施展才華,第五階段是創造輝煌,如果香港在「一帶一路」中不能成功發揮作用、創造輝煌,將會返回第三階段繼續磨練,點明香港在「一帶一路」中任重道遠的角色。 馮氏集團主席、香港大學「亞洲環球硏究所」顧問委員會主席馮國經表示:「一帶一路」對香港未來發展的影響很大;同時,每一次中國出現新的發展機遇時,香港總能抓住機遇,迎接挑戰,扮演重要的角色。 香港鐵路有限公司行政總裁梁國權對香港「超級連絡人」的獨特角色提出了自己的看法。他強調,「超級連絡人」能夠縮短文化之間的鴻溝,使得香港能夠和大陸企業一起在香港以外的地區和大陸尋求更多的合作機會。 香港貿易發展局主席羅康瑞認為,「一帶一路」對香港來說是一個黃金機遇,如果能把握的好,香港就能重組經濟,為年輕人提供更多機會。他還表示,香港在「一帶一路」中可以扮演四個非常重要的角色:投資中心、融資中心、專業服務中心以及支援和後台中心。同時,作為「一帶一路」上的樞紐,香港首先要做的是傳遞資訊,因此,香港貿發局近期將會建立一個網站,提供「一帶一路」沿線國家的各類信息。 香港總商會主席彭耀佳談及「一帶一路」對香港企業的影響時表示,「一帶一路」不僅能夠給大企業帶來機會,也將會為投身設計、手機程式開發等領域的中小企業提供更多發展機遇。 本次論壇吸引了逾二百位高端人士參與,包括「一帶一路」沿線國家的駐港總領事、香港特區政府官員、跨國企業高管、商業精英領袖和學術界專家學者等。 中國日報亞洲領袖圓桌論壇(www.cdroundtable.com)是一個由亞洲國家和地區的政、商、學界領袖和社會精英參與的高端對話和交流平臺,圍繞亞洲地區經濟、商業、產業和社會發展等具有戰略影響的重要議題展開討論,至今在港、澳和亞太多國已經舉辦了40餘屆,逾萬名決策精英參與。
2015-10-29The shortage of talents in the tourism industry and the lack of public facilities, as well as services at tourist resorts, have to be resolved to facilitate the fast growth of tourism on the Chinese mainland, industry leaders told a forum in Macao on Tuesday. “Management talents in the industry are in a severe shortage of supply,” said Wang Ping, chairman of the China Chamber of Tourism. “Currently, CEOs in three-star hotels are working as leaders of five-star hotels, while those in economy hotels are performing the role of managers in three-star ones.” Thus, the training of all levels of management talents in the tourism industry has become essential as tourism growth accelerates in the country, Wang told a roundtable forum co-organized by the China Chamber of Tourism and China Daily. The forum, themed “Exploring the Full Dimension of Cultural Tourism — Cultural Heritage and Creative Living Culture”, is part of the annual Global Tourism Economy Forum held in Macao from Monday to Tuesday. Johnson Jia Yunfeng, chief executive officer of D&J Global Communications, said industry leaders should focus their attention on improving public facilities and tourism services. “Public facilities and services are two elements we are lack of. If we manage to attract a great number of tourists to our country, but are not able to offer good services to them, then our marketing has, in fact, made a bad effect because people tend to spread bad things to others,” he said. According to the China National Tourism Administration, more than 87.5 million inbound trips were made by international tourists, as well as those from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, between January and August this year — a 4.3-percent year-on-year increase. While the growth of mainland tourism spurs wide concern over the protection of cultural heritage, Bai Changhong, dean of the college of tourism and service management at Nankai University in Tianjin, believes that tourism and cultural protection are not contradictory. Peter Wong Man-kong, chairman of MK Corp Ltd, agreed, saying the relatively late development of the tourism industry and the growing demand for a large pool of talents call for the country to take a leaf from other nations in order to better protect its cultural resources. Wu Zhaolan, vice-president of Suning Universal Group, noted the ongoing changes in the tourism sector.“Tourism-plus-Internet is becoming an important subject with the development of internetization of information. Many tourism services are now provided online. The integration of tourism and the Internet is not only an offline-to-online transformation of traditional products, but also a future trend that reflects the complementary role of the two,” she said. Besides the Internet, Ding Zuohong, chairman of the board of Yuexing Group, reckons that the furniture-and-decoration industry also has a role to play in developing cultural tourism. “The industry can contribute to cultural tourism by adding innovative elements to every single place, for example, making beds and sofa, restaurants or entertainment facilities in tourism resorts more creative.” Ji Xiaodong, vice-president and secretary-general of the China Chamber of Tourism, called for the promotion of cultural tourism by making efforts to enhance the internal meaning of tourism resorts and putting emphasis on the spiritual inheritance of these places. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/14/content_15329147.html
2015-10-16The future of cultural tourism relies on innovation and integration with other industries, industry leaders and experts told a China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable forum in Macao on Tuesday. As tourism evolves, visitors’ demands are changing from mere sightseeing to cultural experiences, the panelists pointed out. Travelers now want to experience different cultures on their trips in a fresh and convenient way. “The post-80s and 90s generations have become a main tourist group. Unlike the older generations, these people are more concerned about the quality of life,” said Ji Xiaodong, vice-president and secretary-general of the China Chamber of Tourism. “They hope to experience new and exciting things.” This requires institutions to study the demand of younger generation and introduce innovative tourism products that cater to this group, Ji said. Ji’s view was echoed by Johnson Jia, chief executive officer of D&J Global Communications, who summed up the situation as “the relationship between old and young”. “Many young people have little knowledge or are not interested in (traditional cultural) heritage. But few people know their real interests and likes. This is a problem that needs to be solved urgently,” Jia told the audience. The forum, themed “Exploring the Full Dimension of Cultural Tourism — Cultural Heritage and Creative Living Culture”, was part of the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF), an annual event initiated and co-organized by the China Chamber of Tourism under the authorization of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, coordinated by the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre and in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The emergence of a new generation of tourists also brings about changes in travel modes, with the Internet playing a bigger role in the process, a trend pointed out by Wu Zhaolan, vice-president of Suning Universal Group. “Tourism-plus-Internet is becoming an important subject with the development of Internetization of information. Many tourism services are now provided online,” Wu said. She cited installment payments as an example. “Some ordinary people who want to enjoy high-end tourism services may have difficulty making one-off payments. Online installment offers such travelers a solution.” “The integration of tourism and the Internet is not only an offline-to-online transformation of traditional products, but also a future trend that reflects the complementary role of the two,” Wu noted. Creative approach However, industrial cooperation in the tourism sector is not limited to the Internet. Ding Zuohong, chairman of the board of Yuexing Group, believes the industry of furniture-making and decoration can also contribute to the development of cultural tourism. “The furniture and decoration industry is closely linked to culture and tourism,” Ding said, pointing out human civilization started from “drilling wood to make fire”. “Every little part of tourism has something to do with it.” “The industry can play a role in offering innovative cultural tourism by adding creative elements to every single place. For example, making beds and sofas, restaurants or entertainment facilities in tourism resorts more creative, so that tourism can become something more attractive,” he said. Over the past few years, tourism has seen rapid growth and become one of the engines driving global economic growth. According to the UNWTO, tourism accounts for 10 percent of global gross domestic product, 30 percent of the total exports of services and one in 11 jobs around the world. Cultural draws “The links between tourism and culture offer an immense opportunity to contribute to inclusive economic growth, social development and stability and heritage preservation,” Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the UNWTO, said at the opening ceremony of the GTEF. China was the No 1 tourism source market in 2014 with record spending of $165 billion on international tourism, a 28 percent increase over the previous year, UNWTO data show. It has also become a popular tourism destination for travelers from around the world. From January to August, over 87.5 million inbound trips were made by international tourists including those from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, a 4.3 percent increase compared with the same period last year, according to the China National Tourism Administration. While tourism continues to grow in the country, some industry leaders warned against a dearth of talents and a lack of public facilities and services. “Management talents in the industry are in severe short supply,” said Wang Ping, chairman of the China Chamber of Tourism. “(At a time) when international hotels are entering the Chinese market at a high speed, we are not able to provide enough management personnel.” Currently, CEOs in three-star hotels are working as leaders of five-star hotels, while those in economy hotels are performing the role of managers at three-star establishments, she said. “Training of all levels of management talents in the tourism industry has become essential,” Wang noted. Jia, meanwhile, stressed that leaders should focus their attention on improving public facilities and tourism services. “Public facilities and services are two elements we lack. If we manage to attract a great number of tourists to our country, but are not able to offer good service to them, then our marketing has, in fact, had a negative effect, because people tend to spread the (bad) word around,” he said. The expansion of tourism has also spurred widespread concern over the protection of cultural heritage. Many people complain that the original landscape of historical sites is being damaged and local customs being ruined in a fallout from increased tourism. But Bai Changhong, dean of the College of Tourism and Service Management at Nankai University in Tianjin, believes tourism and cultural protection are not contradictory endeavors. “The key lies in how to develop and manage them,” he pointed out. “We should emphasize the responsibility and enhance management level of operators (of tourist resorts). More importantly, the government should undertake proper management to ensure the sustainability of tourism development.” He suggested that industry leaders learn from the experience of European countries, introduce effective plans and put high-level protection programs in place. Peter Wong Man-kong, chairman of the MK Corporation Ltd, agreed. “The relatively late development of the tourism industry and demand for a large number of talents require the country to learn from the good examples of other countries in order to ensure better protection of its cultural resources,” Wong said. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/16/content_15330715.html
2015-10-16China’s Belt and Road Initiative could drive the development of the tourism industry as long as stakeholders step up facilities, expertise and investment. The initiative aims to revive ancient trade routes between China and the West with the creation of the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt and oceanic 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Industry stakeholders in Macao for the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF), which ran from Oct 12 to 14, considered the importance of cultural tourism at a roundtable session on Oct 13 presented by China Daily and the China Chamber of Tourism (CCT). The chamber, launched in 2002, is one of the cofounders of the GTEF. “In China, we always call ourselves a country of culture,” said Peter Wong, chairman of MK Corporation. “But conservation of our cultural relics was not done properly”. Two decades ago, Wong traveled the Silk Road and found virtually no facilities for high-end travelers, despite the importance of the route. This represented an opportunity. “As a businessman, I smelled an opportunity … (so) I started investing in tourism along the Silk Road,” said Wong. Throughout China’s travel and tourism industry, there is a need for much more investment in facilities and people. Such investment will make it possible for China to continue to emerge as one of the most important travel and tourism markets. “We believe that China is going to become one of the largest tourism markets in the world and it is important for the Chinese (people) to participate in this transformation,” said Wang Ping, chairman of the CCT. China’s market of 1.4 billion people is a huge opportunity for the sector. The chamber, representing the private sector, decided to work with different counties on their tourism industries. A case in point is Shangri-La, a county-level city in Southwest China’s Yunnan province, near the border with Myanmar, which is responsible for about a third of the employment in the entire province. “The main message was for county-level officials to change the tourism environment,” Wang said. “The initiative was very successful.” While China has a lot of potential to develop its tourism industry, it lacks resources like top-rated facilities and enough trained professionals. It is important to “change this status quo”, Wang said. One way to do this might be to leverage technology and find innovative approaches to drive tourism. The Internet has emerged as a powerful driver of tourism, said Wu Zhaolan, vice-president of the Suning Universal Group. Online bookings for travel and transportation have emerged as a powerful driver of tourism, and complement traditional tourism activities. “With smartphones and PCs, people are used to living with the Internet and booking products online,” said Wu. Tourism must work with the Internet. Online platforms should exist to help tourists find packages for the right price and guarantee those prices. Wu’s company, Suning, has had a developed online platform for a decade. Suning’s platform expands beyond e-commerce and into finance, which allows for easier payments. The ability to book a trip or a hotel is only the beginning of the tourist experience. Destinations have to provide the services needed to keep tourists coming back. Marketing and promises are all well and good, but they only work when backed by a substantive industry. “Tourism is not really about traveling. It is about self-discovery,” said Johnson Jia Yunfeng, CEO of marketing consultancy D&J Global Communications. Tourism is a way to get away from day-to-day life. The decision to make is where to go and what to see. According to Jia, marketing is important to keep the most interesting destinations constantly in the minds of travelers. The travel and tourism industry is no different from other industries. To attract more customers, it is important to understand what they want and to provide it, he said. “What is marketing, after all?” asked Jia, adding: “It is to differentiate your products and services and create an emotional response in the minds of your customers.” This is what the eastern Shandong province is doing, for example, as it sets out to invest more in travel and tourism to attract more visitors. Other provinces and counties throughout China should endeavor to follow suit. Infrastructure is an important factor. Information can be often hard to find, particularly for tourists. Services can also be spotty, and this is key because tourists that do not receive good service are not likely to come back. “You need to have your high-end positioning. It is not just about a slogan, you need to have your products,” said Jia. “You need to have your whole industry.” Without adequate infrastructure, products and an industry, marketing will not be useful. The impact of culture stretches into the details of the needs of the travel and tourism industry, down to the chairs for people to sit and the beds in which they sleep. Furniture, said Ding Zuohong, a member of the standing committee of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, is at the heart of everything. “Many of our businesses cover hotels,” said Ding, who is also the chairman of Yuexing Group, a large furniture maker. “Good taste is reflected in our furniture.” Ji Xiaodong, vice-president and secretary general of the CCT, said: “There is a saying that one should read 10,000 books and travel 10,000 miles. Tourism is about traveling those 10,000 miles.” Tourism is important on a “spiritual level”, Ji added. “In this industry in China, there is a lack of qualified professionals. The threshold of entrance into the industry is not as high as, say, the finance industry,” said Ji. “There is a lot we can do to bring in more qualified professionals to the industry.” Literature and films have a great impact on the tourism industry, particularly from a cultural level. At the same time, a new generation of travelers has different tastes and requirements that should be taken into account when developing a tourism industry. Tourism does pose risks to culture and heritage, said Bai Changhong, dean and professor at the College of Tourism and Service Management at Tianjin city’s Nankai University. There are examples of tourism having a negative impact on heritage sites or even local culture. In Beijing, for example, there is a cultural museum that can help protect culture while attracting more tourism. But the opposite is also true, as more tourism makes it possible for people around the world to get greater exposure to a greater variety of cultures. The right policies make it possible to expand the tourism industry and protect local cultures, said Bai. “We want to see whether culture can promote the economy,” he noted. “Can we consume culture? And if we consume culture, will the economy destroy culture? “Some cultures cannot be approached but there are some cultures that allow limited consumption.” Bai said that much can be learned from Europe, because countries there are experienced at protecting their cultural heritage. Professional management is also needed to “leverage cultural tourism and turn cultural tourism into something useful for the preservation of culture and the development of the economy”, said Bai. Ji of the CCT said that driving cultural tourism requires the preservation of cultural sites and facilities. Rebuilding a culture can be difficult and, perhaps, not a good idea. “Culture must provide something that people can relate to,” said Ji. “We need to have things to represent culture.” Ultimately, said Wang of the CCT, “we should consider all the people around the world when developing tourism products … We need to think about how to reduce products when we develop tourism products.” Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/asiaweekly/2015-10/16/content_15330780.html
2015-10-16“For our travel and tourism business, the emphasis is always on connectivity,” said Peter Wong Man-kong, chairman of the MK Corporation Ltd. His company made its first tourism investment by setting up the Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel in Gansu province in 1993, at a location close to timeless attractions such as the Mogao Grottoes and Mingsha sand dunes. Wong believes cultural heritage development and Silk road revival entered an entirely new era with the launch of the high-speed Urumqi-Lanzhou (Lanxin Second Railway) train services in December 2014. “Because the (1776-kilometer) line passes through most of the Silk Road in China,” Wong pointed out. The Gansu tourism department estimates that destinations like Jiayu Pass, Dunhuang and Zhangye will see a fast and sharp increase in the number of tourists after the completion of the line, which passes through 31 stations as it traverses the provinces of Gansu and Qinghai and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Wong recalled that in early 1990s, when he started the first hotel project in Dunhuang, local support on logistics, material supply and human resources were all big challenges for his company. But he held onto the business because he knew there was huge market potential in heritage tourism. The statistics he received from the World Tourism Organization at the time revealed that around 70 percent of tourist cash worldwide was spent on visiting heritage sites and this trend has continued for a long time. What was more surprising and exciting to him was that Japan Travel Agency (JTB) in the early 1990s had to divert Japanese tourists to Guilin and Beijing from the Silk Road due to lack of facilities and accommodation, even though the majority of them actually just wanted to visit the Silk Road. “Since reform and opening up, China has accumulated the resources and experience necessary not only for China’s own internal development of the Silk Road but those experiences and resources can now be shared with other neighboring countries,” said Wong. He explained that back in the early 1990s, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) were all very active in pushing forward the Silk Road, trying to forge cooperation among the countries it traversed through. But the plan had to confront several challenges as trade within Central Asia collapsed after the dissolution of the former Soviet Union. The 2014 Investment Guide to the Silk Road released by the United Nations Conferences on Trade and Development showed that between 1992 and 2002, intra-regional trade declined by almost 50 percent. But countries like Kazakhstan and Tajikistan are now on the fast track to developing their economies, which Wong sees as a great opportunity to revive the Silk Road mission of connecting nations and people to achieve economic prosperity for all. “A lot of medium and long-term plans have been laid out by the state government,” said Wong. “Many people like me are watching closely the details of the 13th five-year plan, which has a lot of the relevance to the ‘Belt and Road’ development.” Though this signals an optimal time for the cultural tourism industry under the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, he is worried that some heritage sites may not be properly preserved if unprofessional players get involved, despite very good government policy. So he would suggest learning from global experiences, like that of Europe and Japan, in terms of developing cultural heritage. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/16/content_15330731.html
2015-10-16About two-thirds of the people in the world cannot travel internationally without getting a visa stamp on a passport, an archaic system that may be holding back growth in the travel and tourism industry. This is not to say that the industry is not growing, quite to the contrary. However, for the hundreds of industry and government officials who gathered in Macao for the Global Tourism Economy Forum from Oct 12 to 14, the issue of visa-free travel is a particularly significant one because it has the potential to stop international tourism in its tracks. For Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), making it easier for people to move across borders is key for the continuous growth in travel and tourism.
2015-10-16The 2015 Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) kicked off in Macao on Monday with government leaders and industry experts immersed in three days of talks on how President Xi Jinping’s “Belt and Road” initiative can assume the role in capitalizing on the transformation of cultural tourism. Hosted by Macao’s Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture, this year’s event is expected to promote an international dialogue on the theme “Belt and Road Initiative — Unleashing New Dynamics of Cultural Tourism”, while intensifying links with Latin American countries. In his opening address, Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region Chui Sai-on said the global tourism industry is currently facing immense opportunities and great challenges at the same time. “We have to stand strong today with a clear vision of the future. Striving to combine forces across cultures, sectors and regions, we need to seize every golden opportunity and put it to good use,” he said, adding that Macao, which is included in the “Belt and Road” strategy, can give play to its focal effect and be a part of regional cooperation. Former Macao chief executive Ho Hau-wah, who is now a vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said the theme of this year’s forum will facilitate discussions on the utilization of each country’s abundant cultural resources to drive and deepen comprehensive economic cooperation and cultural exchanges between countries and regions to achieve mutual advantage. “Tourism is not only our country’s strategic pillar industry. It’s also a force capable of fusing invaluable ancient and modern social and cultural resources, and transforming them into economic activities that benefit people’s livelihoods,” Ho said. The “Belt and Road” initiative, which was first proposed by Xi in 2013, is a trade and infrastructure network that includes the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Its basic principle is equality and mutual benefit. Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the World Tourism Organization, told the gathering that Asia and the Pacific is one of the world’s leading tourism regions led by the importance of China — both as a source market and tourism destination. And this year’s forum is to bring Asia to the world and the world to Asia. He said that the links between tourism and culture offer an immense opportunity to contribute to inclusive economic growth, social development and stability and heritage preservation. Both tourism and culture can advance the objectives of the “Belt and Road” initiative. Cultural tourism fosters economic growth, while the responsible use of cultural assets for tourism creates new employment opportunities and generates income for local communities, and thus promotes social development and stability, Rifai said. Li Jinzao, chairman of the China National Tourism Administration, called for more advanced infrastructure development connectivity along the “Belt and Road” countries, as connectivity is an important factor that will lift tourism growth. In conjunction with this year’s GTEF, China Daily and the China Chamber of Tourism will co-host a panel session for the fourth year running, bringing together distinguished academics, as well as experts from the business and travel sectors, to review the trends, opportunities and challenges in cultural tourism. The dialogue, entitled “Exploring the Full Dimension of Cultural Tourism — Cultural Heritage and Creative Living Culture”, will be held on Tuesday at the Venetian Hotel, Macao. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/hknews/2015-10/13/content_15328455.html
2015-10-16Tourism industry experts are optimistic about the future as the "Belt and Road" initiative is expected to generate great opportunities for the sector in both Hong Kong and on the Chinese mainland, particularly with relation to culture-themed tours. The "Belt and Road" involves over 60 countries and economies, many of which are not on the list of major travel destinations for outbound Chinese at the moment. But the potential is absolutely huge, as the establishment of transportation and other infrastructures, the closer relationship among countries, and a more convenient visa application process will bring enormous opportunities to the tourism industry in China, Bai Changhong, dean of the College of Tourism and Service management at Nankai University, told China Daily in Macao on Tuesday. The countries on the "Belt" have rich cultural heritage — for instance, the middle-eastern countries, and central and eastern European nations — all of which offer very suitable conditions to develop cultural tourism, he noted. As for the Chinese mainland, although some of its intangible cultural heritage cannot be developed into direct attractions, these can be artistically presented through souvenirs and other forms of merchandising, Bai said. "The question is not whether we should develop cultural tourism, it should be about the way we develop it. The development should be of high quality to represent the value of our culture," Bai said. The "Belt and Road" initiative has brought new investment opportunities to the Chinese tourism industry. Bai said that several mainland hotel brands have already acquired famous international hotel brands, as Chinese companies understand Chinese tourists better and they have more experience in catering to the needs of Chinese customers. The tourism industry of Hong Kong will also benefit greatly from the "Belt and Road" initiative, he emphasized. Hong Kong, as a traditional tourist attraction, has faced some challenges in attracting more tourists this year, but the "Belt and Road" initiative will generate new business, financial and trading opportunities for the SAR, and these economic and trade exchanges will bring a large number of business travelers to the city. "Hong Kong is an international financial center with a large number of professionals, and the city will continue to act as the middleman between the Chinese mainland and other countries, ASEAN members in particular," Bai said. "I believe Hong Kong’s tourism industry still has much to accomplish against the backdrop of the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative." Bai predicted that in the next five years, the major issue for the Chinese tourism industry will continue to be "short supply", as the household income of mainland families is expected to continue to grow and so the demand for tourism options, both high-end and mass-market, will continue to expand. Bai said he is very optimistic about the future of the country’s tourism industry and he will be very happy to see more Chinese youngsters join the sector. "Because it is a great time for the industry," continued Bai, adding that young people should deepen their understanding of both Chinese and world history and culture in order to build a successful career in the tourism industry. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/16/content_15330730.html
2015-10-16China’s “Belt and Road” initiative offers once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for various business sectors in Hong Kong SAR, and will strengthen the city’s traditional role as the “super connector” and global financial hub, while driving growth for next-generation businesses, panelists told the China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable on Thursday. Such opportunities are for countries along the “Belt and Road” to pursue, and all shareholders must strive to explore the potential available, they urged. Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying, in a keynote address to the roundtable forum, themed “Hong Kong Unleashing the Potential of ‘Belt and Road’ Initiative”, said Hong Kong will be the best placed Chinese city to contribute to the “Belt and Road” initiative if the SAR can lift its social capital. “More than a city of China, Hong Kong maintains a reputable standing and valuable connections in the international arena,” he told the forum, jointly organized by China Daily and the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC). “That sets us apart from other cities on the mainland and overseas. That’s how we can unleash the tremendous potential of the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative. “The ‘Belt and Road’ will help power the future for the Chinese mainland, for over 60 economies along the link and for Hong Kong. All of us can take part in this once-in-a-lifetime journey if we seize the opportunity today,” Leung said. Launched by President Xi Jinping in 2013, the “Belt and Road” strategy aims to boost trade ties and facilitate economic cooperation among 65 economies along the ancient silk route. With China as the starting point, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road will stretch to Eastern Europe, Central and South Asia, as well as the east coast of Africa. In welcoming remarks, Zhou Li, publisher and editor-in-chief of China Daily Asia Pacific, told the conference: “At a time of general slowdown in markets worldwide, forging and renewing trade ties between different economies is the only way forward. This is also a moment of stocktaking and introspection — a moment to assess the strategic importance of our place in the program.” “The ‘Belt and Road’ initiative holds great promise for Hong Kong, both in terms of its own growth as a major economic force, as well as in its ability to contribute to the economic prosperity of China,” Zhou said. HKGCC Chairman Y.K. Pang called the “Belt and Road” initiative a “game changer” for many countries. Supporting growth “They don’t necessarily have enough money, resources, manpower or expertise to lift their development to the next level. But China, through the initiative, will support and accelerate growth of those countries, much faster than what would be organically possible. Our members are very excited to be part of something bigger — to change the livelihood of people in the ‘Belt and Road’ regions,” he said. “Hong Kong has a major role to play in the initiative. We have the proximity that Beijing and Shanghai don’t,” Pang stressed, adding that 80 percent of the ‘Belt and Road’ countries are within a five-hour flight from Hong Kong. “Even not in infrastructure, engineering or finance, Hong Kong companies will be able to tap into the consumption money in ‘Belt and Road’ economies, as investments would trickle down from these sectors.” Chow Chung-kong, chairman of Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd, told the gathering that the initiative is “a real driver of economic growth”. “More than just the redistribution of wealth, it’s the engine to create new economic dynamics. Hong Kong can facilitate such economic activities and benefit from them.” He said the existing funding is not enough to fund the goals of the initiative. “To make the ‘Belt and Road’ succeed, the commercial sector must get involved. Unless the ‘smart money’ is invested in sensible and profitable projects, the initiative will not achieve its full potential. Fundraising is where Hong Kong can play a key role, either through simple syndicated loans, bond issuance or in the equity market.” However, Chow warned that “opportunities are not served on a silver plate”. “Until we can build up knowledge of the economies along the routes and the sectors that require investment, we cannot fully explore the opportunities.” Tackling new markets Victor Fung Kwok-king, chairman of Fung Group, said the “Belt and Road” initiative will further lift Hong Kong’s traditional position as the world’s “super-connector” and help the city seize emerging market opportunities. “Looking forward for 30 years, the global consumption pattern is shifting rapidly. In developing countries arise the new middle class. The ‘Belt and Road’ is a linkage and a handle to tackle these new markets,” he said. Lincoln Leong Kwok-kuen, chief executive officer of MTR Corporation Ltd (MTRC), said: “Super connectivity is bridging culture divide, taking Hong Kong to work with companies on the mainland, outside of Hong Kong and mainland domain.” In terms of a new business model, he said it needs to be not just relevant, but also highly competitive in the “Belt and Road” countries. “One of the things we have been spearheading at MTRC is the business model in Hong Kong, which many countries try to replicate,” Leong said. “We incorporate property and infrastructure development and take external profits from the property and internalize it to help finance infrastructure development.” To connect the 65 countries with different cultures, legal systems and ways of doing things along the linkage, Vincent Lo Hong-shui, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), said Hong Kong should become the hub for the “Belt and Road”. To start with, he said the HKTDC will launch a “Belt and Road” website in the near future to provide all information on the 65 countries. “Hopefully, we can identify investment opportunities and integrate them so that the world can get involved, because this is not a project China or any one company can take on its own.”
2015-10-30Vincent Lo Hong-sui, chairman of the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), urged small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Hong Kong to seize the new business opportunities the “Belt and Road” initiative is likely to open up. With 65 economies located along the “Belt and Road”, there will be opportunities for big as well as SMEs, given investments will be on different scales, allowing small companies, particularly in developing economies, to opt for smaller projects, Lo told China Daily. “Right now, Hong Kong is more service-oriented, so we should think about how we can facilitate investments from the Chinese mainland going into countries related to the ‘Belt and Road’, so that we can provide a supporting role, with our professional services, lawyers, accountants and investment banks,” he said. Lo felt Hong Kong would do well to focus on fundraising and organizing related activities, given the city’s status as Asia’s financial center. Meanwhile, Hong Kong investors can also team up with those from the mainland to go into the “Belt and Road”, said Lo. He added that most of the outbound investment will be focused on infrastructure projects to start with, triggering a demand for substantial funding and expertise in the field. While most manufacturing industries in Hong Kong had shifted their operations to the Pearl River Delta in the 1980s, a lot of them are considering relocating again because of the sharp increase in overheads. Lo suggested relocating to “Belt and Road” countries as these might be able to offer labor and infrastructure at competitive prices. He said that the HKTDC, a semi-government-sponsored organization, is expected to play a very strong role here, especially in terms of identifying opportunities and promoting these across the world. The HKTDC has organized trade shows, exhibitions, conferences as well as business matching arrangement, and will continue to do the same to promote the “Belt and Road” initiative, Lo said, adding that he has invited SMEs to participate in such expositions so as to identify the opportunities. “We will soon launch an information portal online containing all information related to the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative, the policies, the investment opportunities in the economies related to ‘Belt and Road’, and it will be a good way to help SMEs understand the initiatives,” he added. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/30/content_15337045.html
2015-10-30The “Belt and Road” initiative is expected to create a “big trickle-down effect” in regions along the routes, as demand for all sorts of goods and services from a wide spectrum of business will rise significantly, according to Y.K. Pang, chairman of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC). The building industry will be the first to benefit from the vast opportunities arising from the initiative, raised by President Xi Jinping in 2013, Pang told China Daily in an exclusive interview on Thursday. Other services, involving the finance, accounting, legal and information-technology fields, will come around accordingly, he said. “As money is invested in those countries (along the ‘Belt and Road’), there’ll be plenty of demand for various things, for example, goods, supplies, retail services and even the need to entertain the people in those countries as their living conditions improve. There will be a big trickle-down effect because when money is invested in any location for any kind of business, it will spread across the whole society,” Pang said. Not only will big companies gain from the initiative, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are also set to benefit. The HKGCC chief reckons there’ll be a lot of design and technological work to do, citing the need to create new apps, portals and platforms. “These are things not only for large corporations, but also for SMEs.” Hong Kong SMEs will benefit too as money derived from infrastructure development will reach the pockets of ordinary citizens in those regions, thereby enhancing their consumption capability, Pang said. To better participate in the national strategy, Pang said the SAR needs to have a deeper understanding of the culture, geography and business environment of countries in the regions, and offer more training to Hong Kong people to help them adapt to and work in those economies. Hong Kong people may know markets on the Chinese mainland or in Singapore well enough, but as far as Cambodia, Vietnam or Sri Lanka are concerned, they do require better knowledge of them, Pang pointed out. “We need to understand how to fit in our efforts with the needs of markets in those areas. This is the only way for us to carry out the project successfully and make it a game-changing initiative.” Pang also called for greater cooperation with the mainland on various matters to reduce the risks associated with investments in the “Belt and Road” regions, such as how to work under different legal and accounting frameworks, the labor supply and the quality of labor for the projects involved. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/30/content_15337069.html
2015-10-30For Immediate Release PRESS RELEASE China Daily Forum on "Belt and Road" Era Potential "Hong Kong Unleashing the Potential of ‘Belt and Road Initiative'" Oct 29 2015, Hong Kong –China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable held a luncheon on: Hong Kong Unleashing the Potential of Belt and Road Initiative with a keynote address by The Honourable C Y Leung, Chief Executive, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region between 11.30 am and 2.15 pm on Thursday, October 29, 2015 at Grand Ballroom, Grand Hyatt Hong Kong. Hong Kong, as an international financial capital, has the experience, expertise and the connections to serve as the “Super Connector” for the Belt and Road Initiative, China’s strategic initiative connecting 60 percent of the world’s population which accounts for 30 percent of the global GDP. What are the opportunities and challenges for Hong Kong in the “Belt and Road” era? What are the implications for the major business sectors in Hong Kong? Co-organized with the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, and supported by Hong Kong Economic Journal and Bloomberg Business Week, China Daily is delighted to have The Honourable C Y Leung, Chief Executive of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region tonot only publish a signed articleon China Daily Hong Kong edition, but also deliver a keynote addresson “Hong Kong Unleashing the Potential of the Belt and Road Initiative”. “I believe our strength has been the ability to establish ourselves as an indispensable player in the global economy as well as the national development of China.” Said the Chief Executive. After his keynote speech, C Y Leung joined with Mr. C K Chow, Chairman, Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing Ltd; Dr. Victor K. Fung, Group Chairman, Fung Group & Chairman, Advisory Board of Asia Global Institute; Mr. Lincoln Kwok Kuen Leong, Chief Executive Officer, MTR Corporation Ltd; Mr. Vincent H S Lo, Chairman, Hong Kong Trade Development Council and Mr. Y K Pang, Chairman, Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce for an open panel to share their insights of Hong Kong’s development in the “Belt and Road” era. Mr. Zhou Li, Editorial Board Member, China Daily Group and Publisher & Editor-in-Chief, China Daily Asia Pacificdeliveredthe welcoming speech to demonstrate China Daily’s continuous effort in covering the strategic initiative, and relateddevelopment of Hong Kong and Asia. Mr. Lincoln Kwok Kuen Leong thinks the “Belt and Road”is bridging culture divide, taking Hong Kong to work with companies in the Chinese mainland, outside of Hong Kong and Chinese mainland domain; whileDr. Victor K. Fungis convinced that “every time there is a major change in China and the region, HK plays a significant role and we can always step up to the task.” Mr. C K Chow emphasized Hong Kong’s unique role in the great blueprint: “Hong Kong is part of China under ‘One Country Two Systems’ and that is where we will stand to compete and win.”Similarly, Mr. Vincent H S Lo sees “Belt and Road” as a golden chance for Hong Kong as long asthe city can restructure its economy and provide more opportunities for younger generation. Mr. Y K Pang believes there is a role to play in the “Belt and Road” initiative not only for large corporations, but also for small and medium-sized enterprises, as there will be a lot of work for them to do, like design, creating new apps, portals and platforms, etc. The Roundtable event attracted over 200 government officials, consul generals, and industry elites from local and abroad. ### About China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable The China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable is a by-invitation network of movers and shakers in Asia providing platforms for focused dialogue, issue investigation, and possible collective action on strategic issues relating to economic, business and social development in Asia. Our aim is to enhance communication and increase mutual understanding between China, Asian and Western countries. Roundtable events are held in major cities across Asia. (www.cdroundtable.com)
2015-10-29新聞稿 即時發布 政商界領袖齊聚中國日報論壇 暢談「一帶一路」與香港歷史新機遇 2015年10月29日 香港 - 中國日報今日主辦題為「一帶一路飛龍在天,香港歷史新機遇」的專題研討會,香港特別行政區行政長官梁振英出席作主題演講,並與香港交易及結算所有限公司主席周松崗;馮氏集團主席、香港大學「亞洲環球硏究所」顧問委員會主席馮國經;香港鐵路有限公司行政總裁梁國權;香港貿易發展局主席羅康瑞以及香港總商會主席彭耀佳深入探討了香港在「一帶一路」建設中的優勢與定位。 梁振英在主題演講中表示,香港的成功離不開國家,也離不開世界。香港不僅受惠於「一國兩制」和不斷發展的經濟一體化進程,同時也得益於與世界的緊密聯繫。因此,在「一帶一路」建設中,香港必將成為中國和世界的「超級連絡人」,增進與「一帶一路」沿線國家,乃至與全世界交流與合作。 擁有國際金融中心核心地位的香港,具備成熟的投資環境,以及優秀的專業人才以及龐大的商業脈絡,使其在「一帶一路」建設大方針下擔當著「超級連絡人」的獨特角色。國家的「一帶一路」建設,將會為世界約六成人口帶來深遠的影響,其相關發展收益預計將佔全球人均生產總值的三成。在「一帶一路」建設的新時代中,香港的支柱行業會受到影響,香港亦將面臨一系列機遇與挑戰。 香港交易及結算所有限公司主席周松崗特別指出,此次論壇題為「一帶一路飛龍在天」恰到好處,「飛龍在天」出自《易經》中講述人生六個階段的第五個階段。其中,第三個階段是努力工作,第四階段是施展才華,第五階段是創造輝煌,如果香港在「一帶一路」中不能成功發揮作用、創造輝煌,將會返回第三階段繼續磨練,點明香港在「一帶一路」中任重道遠的角色。 馮氏集團主席、香港大學「亞洲環球硏究所」顧問委員會主席馮國經表示:「一帶一路」對香港未來發展的影響很大;同時,每一次中國出現新的發展機遇時,香港總能抓住機遇,迎接挑戰,扮演重要的角色。 香港鐵路有限公司行政總裁梁國權對香港「超級連絡人」的獨特角色提出了自己的看法。他強調,「超級連絡人」能夠縮短文化之間的鴻溝,使得香港能夠和大陸企業一起在香港以外的地區和大陸尋求更多的合作機會。 香港貿易發展局主席羅康瑞認為,「一帶一路」對香港來說是一個黃金機遇,如果能把握的好,香港就能重組經濟,為年輕人提供更多機會。他還表示,香港在「一帶一路」中可以扮演四個非常重要的角色:投資中心、融資中心、專業服務中心以及支援和後台中心。同時,作為「一帶一路」上的樞紐,香港首先要做的是傳遞資訊,因此,香港貿發局近期將會建立一個網站,提供「一帶一路」沿線國家的各類信息。 香港總商會主席彭耀佳談及「一帶一路」對香港企業的影響時表示,「一帶一路」不僅能夠給大企業帶來機會,也將會為投身設計、手機程式開發等領域的中小企業提供更多發展機遇。 本次論壇吸引了逾二百位高端人士參與,包括「一帶一路」沿線國家的駐港總領事、香港特區政府官員、跨國企業高管、商業精英領袖和學術界專家學者等。 中國日報亞洲領袖圓桌論壇(www.cdroundtable.com)是一個由亞洲國家和地區的政、商、學界領袖和社會精英參與的高端對話和交流平臺,圍繞亞洲地區經濟、商業、產業和社會發展等具有戰略影響的重要議題展開討論,至今在港、澳和亞太多國已經舉辦了40餘屆,逾萬名決策精英參與。
2015-10-29The shortage of talents in the tourism industry and the lack of public facilities, as well as services at tourist resorts, have to be resolved to facilitate the fast growth of tourism on the Chinese mainland, industry leaders told a forum in Macao on Tuesday. “Management talents in the industry are in a severe shortage of supply,” said Wang Ping, chairman of the China Chamber of Tourism. “Currently, CEOs in three-star hotels are working as leaders of five-star hotels, while those in economy hotels are performing the role of managers in three-star ones.” Thus, the training of all levels of management talents in the tourism industry has become essential as tourism growth accelerates in the country, Wang told a roundtable forum co-organized by the China Chamber of Tourism and China Daily. The forum, themed “Exploring the Full Dimension of Cultural Tourism — Cultural Heritage and Creative Living Culture”, is part of the annual Global Tourism Economy Forum held in Macao from Monday to Tuesday. Johnson Jia Yunfeng, chief executive officer of D&J Global Communications, said industry leaders should focus their attention on improving public facilities and tourism services. “Public facilities and services are two elements we are lack of. If we manage to attract a great number of tourists to our country, but are not able to offer good services to them, then our marketing has, in fact, made a bad effect because people tend to spread bad things to others,” he said. According to the China National Tourism Administration, more than 87.5 million inbound trips were made by international tourists, as well as those from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, between January and August this year — a 4.3-percent year-on-year increase. While the growth of mainland tourism spurs wide concern over the protection of cultural heritage, Bai Changhong, dean of the college of tourism and service management at Nankai University in Tianjin, believes that tourism and cultural protection are not contradictory. Peter Wong Man-kong, chairman of MK Corp Ltd, agreed, saying the relatively late development of the tourism industry and the growing demand for a large pool of talents call for the country to take a leaf from other nations in order to better protect its cultural resources. Wu Zhaolan, vice-president of Suning Universal Group, noted the ongoing changes in the tourism sector.“Tourism-plus-Internet is becoming an important subject with the development of internetization of information. Many tourism services are now provided online. The integration of tourism and the Internet is not only an offline-to-online transformation of traditional products, but also a future trend that reflects the complementary role of the two,” she said. Besides the Internet, Ding Zuohong, chairman of the board of Yuexing Group, reckons that the furniture-and-decoration industry also has a role to play in developing cultural tourism. “The industry can contribute to cultural tourism by adding innovative elements to every single place, for example, making beds and sofa, restaurants or entertainment facilities in tourism resorts more creative.” Ji Xiaodong, vice-president and secretary-general of the China Chamber of Tourism, called for the promotion of cultural tourism by making efforts to enhance the internal meaning of tourism resorts and putting emphasis on the spiritual inheritance of these places. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/14/content_15329147.html
2015-10-16The future of cultural tourism relies on innovation and integration with other industries, industry leaders and experts told a China Daily Asia Leadership Roundtable forum in Macao on Tuesday. As tourism evolves, visitors’ demands are changing from mere sightseeing to cultural experiences, the panelists pointed out. Travelers now want to experience different cultures on their trips in a fresh and convenient way. “The post-80s and 90s generations have become a main tourist group. Unlike the older generations, these people are more concerned about the quality of life,” said Ji Xiaodong, vice-president and secretary-general of the China Chamber of Tourism. “They hope to experience new and exciting things.” This requires institutions to study the demand of younger generation and introduce innovative tourism products that cater to this group, Ji said. Ji’s view was echoed by Johnson Jia, chief executive officer of D&J Global Communications, who summed up the situation as “the relationship between old and young”. “Many young people have little knowledge or are not interested in (traditional cultural) heritage. But few people know their real interests and likes. This is a problem that needs to be solved urgently,” Jia told the audience. The forum, themed “Exploring the Full Dimension of Cultural Tourism — Cultural Heritage and Creative Living Culture”, was part of the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF), an annual event initiated and co-organized by the China Chamber of Tourism under the authorization of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, coordinated by the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre and in collaboration with the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO). The emergence of a new generation of tourists also brings about changes in travel modes, with the Internet playing a bigger role in the process, a trend pointed out by Wu Zhaolan, vice-president of Suning Universal Group. “Tourism-plus-Internet is becoming an important subject with the development of Internetization of information. Many tourism services are now provided online,” Wu said. She cited installment payments as an example. “Some ordinary people who want to enjoy high-end tourism services may have difficulty making one-off payments. Online installment offers such travelers a solution.” “The integration of tourism and the Internet is not only an offline-to-online transformation of traditional products, but also a future trend that reflects the complementary role of the two,” Wu noted. Creative approach However, industrial cooperation in the tourism sector is not limited to the Internet. Ding Zuohong, chairman of the board of Yuexing Group, believes the industry of furniture-making and decoration can also contribute to the development of cultural tourism. “The furniture and decoration industry is closely linked to culture and tourism,” Ding said, pointing out human civilization started from “drilling wood to make fire”. “Every little part of tourism has something to do with it.” “The industry can play a role in offering innovative cultural tourism by adding creative elements to every single place. For example, making beds and sofas, restaurants or entertainment facilities in tourism resorts more creative, so that tourism can become something more attractive,” he said. Over the past few years, tourism has seen rapid growth and become one of the engines driving global economic growth. According to the UNWTO, tourism accounts for 10 percent of global gross domestic product, 30 percent of the total exports of services and one in 11 jobs around the world. Cultural draws “The links between tourism and culture offer an immense opportunity to contribute to inclusive economic growth, social development and stability and heritage preservation,” Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the UNWTO, said at the opening ceremony of the GTEF. China was the No 1 tourism source market in 2014 with record spending of $165 billion on international tourism, a 28 percent increase over the previous year, UNWTO data show. It has also become a popular tourism destination for travelers from around the world. From January to August, over 87.5 million inbound trips were made by international tourists including those from Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, a 4.3 percent increase compared with the same period last year, according to the China National Tourism Administration. While tourism continues to grow in the country, some industry leaders warned against a dearth of talents and a lack of public facilities and services. “Management talents in the industry are in severe short supply,” said Wang Ping, chairman of the China Chamber of Tourism. “(At a time) when international hotels are entering the Chinese market at a high speed, we are not able to provide enough management personnel.” Currently, CEOs in three-star hotels are working as leaders of five-star hotels, while those in economy hotels are performing the role of managers at three-star establishments, she said. “Training of all levels of management talents in the tourism industry has become essential,” Wang noted. Jia, meanwhile, stressed that leaders should focus their attention on improving public facilities and tourism services. “Public facilities and services are two elements we lack. If we manage to attract a great number of tourists to our country, but are not able to offer good service to them, then our marketing has, in fact, had a negative effect, because people tend to spread the (bad) word around,” he said. The expansion of tourism has also spurred widespread concern over the protection of cultural heritage. Many people complain that the original landscape of historical sites is being damaged and local customs being ruined in a fallout from increased tourism. But Bai Changhong, dean of the College of Tourism and Service Management at Nankai University in Tianjin, believes tourism and cultural protection are not contradictory endeavors. “The key lies in how to develop and manage them,” he pointed out. “We should emphasize the responsibility and enhance management level of operators (of tourist resorts). More importantly, the government should undertake proper management to ensure the sustainability of tourism development.” He suggested that industry leaders learn from the experience of European countries, introduce effective plans and put high-level protection programs in place. Peter Wong Man-kong, chairman of the MK Corporation Ltd, agreed. “The relatively late development of the tourism industry and demand for a large number of talents require the country to learn from the good examples of other countries in order to ensure better protection of its cultural resources,” Wong said. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/16/content_15330715.html
2015-10-16China’s Belt and Road Initiative could drive the development of the tourism industry as long as stakeholders step up facilities, expertise and investment. The initiative aims to revive ancient trade routes between China and the West with the creation of the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt and oceanic 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Industry stakeholders in Macao for the Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF), which ran from Oct 12 to 14, considered the importance of cultural tourism at a roundtable session on Oct 13 presented by China Daily and the China Chamber of Tourism (CCT). The chamber, launched in 2002, is one of the cofounders of the GTEF. “In China, we always call ourselves a country of culture,” said Peter Wong, chairman of MK Corporation. “But conservation of our cultural relics was not done properly”. Two decades ago, Wong traveled the Silk Road and found virtually no facilities for high-end travelers, despite the importance of the route. This represented an opportunity. “As a businessman, I smelled an opportunity … (so) I started investing in tourism along the Silk Road,” said Wong. Throughout China’s travel and tourism industry, there is a need for much more investment in facilities and people. Such investment will make it possible for China to continue to emerge as one of the most important travel and tourism markets. “We believe that China is going to become one of the largest tourism markets in the world and it is important for the Chinese (people) to participate in this transformation,” said Wang Ping, chairman of the CCT. China’s market of 1.4 billion people is a huge opportunity for the sector. The chamber, representing the private sector, decided to work with different counties on their tourism industries. A case in point is Shangri-La, a county-level city in Southwest China’s Yunnan province, near the border with Myanmar, which is responsible for about a third of the employment in the entire province. “The main message was for county-level officials to change the tourism environment,” Wang said. “The initiative was very successful.” While China has a lot of potential to develop its tourism industry, it lacks resources like top-rated facilities and enough trained professionals. It is important to “change this status quo”, Wang said. One way to do this might be to leverage technology and find innovative approaches to drive tourism. The Internet has emerged as a powerful driver of tourism, said Wu Zhaolan, vice-president of the Suning Universal Group. Online bookings for travel and transportation have emerged as a powerful driver of tourism, and complement traditional tourism activities. “With smartphones and PCs, people are used to living with the Internet and booking products online,” said Wu. Tourism must work with the Internet. Online platforms should exist to help tourists find packages for the right price and guarantee those prices. Wu’s company, Suning, has had a developed online platform for a decade. Suning’s platform expands beyond e-commerce and into finance, which allows for easier payments. The ability to book a trip or a hotel is only the beginning of the tourist experience. Destinations have to provide the services needed to keep tourists coming back. Marketing and promises are all well and good, but they only work when backed by a substantive industry. “Tourism is not really about traveling. It is about self-discovery,” said Johnson Jia Yunfeng, CEO of marketing consultancy D&J Global Communications. Tourism is a way to get away from day-to-day life. The decision to make is where to go and what to see. According to Jia, marketing is important to keep the most interesting destinations constantly in the minds of travelers. The travel and tourism industry is no different from other industries. To attract more customers, it is important to understand what they want and to provide it, he said. “What is marketing, after all?” asked Jia, adding: “It is to differentiate your products and services and create an emotional response in the minds of your customers.” This is what the eastern Shandong province is doing, for example, as it sets out to invest more in travel and tourism to attract more visitors. Other provinces and counties throughout China should endeavor to follow suit. Infrastructure is an important factor. Information can be often hard to find, particularly for tourists. Services can also be spotty, and this is key because tourists that do not receive good service are not likely to come back. “You need to have your high-end positioning. It is not just about a slogan, you need to have your products,” said Jia. “You need to have your whole industry.” Without adequate infrastructure, products and an industry, marketing will not be useful. The impact of culture stretches into the details of the needs of the travel and tourism industry, down to the chairs for people to sit and the beds in which they sleep. Furniture, said Ding Zuohong, a member of the standing committee of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, is at the heart of everything. “Many of our businesses cover hotels,” said Ding, who is also the chairman of Yuexing Group, a large furniture maker. “Good taste is reflected in our furniture.” Ji Xiaodong, vice-president and secretary general of the CCT, said: “There is a saying that one should read 10,000 books and travel 10,000 miles. Tourism is about traveling those 10,000 miles.” Tourism is important on a “spiritual level”, Ji added. “In this industry in China, there is a lack of qualified professionals. The threshold of entrance into the industry is not as high as, say, the finance industry,” said Ji. “There is a lot we can do to bring in more qualified professionals to the industry.” Literature and films have a great impact on the tourism industry, particularly from a cultural level. At the same time, a new generation of travelers has different tastes and requirements that should be taken into account when developing a tourism industry. Tourism does pose risks to culture and heritage, said Bai Changhong, dean and professor at the College of Tourism and Service Management at Tianjin city’s Nankai University. There are examples of tourism having a negative impact on heritage sites or even local culture. In Beijing, for example, there is a cultural museum that can help protect culture while attracting more tourism. But the opposite is also true, as more tourism makes it possible for people around the world to get greater exposure to a greater variety of cultures. The right policies make it possible to expand the tourism industry and protect local cultures, said Bai. “We want to see whether culture can promote the economy,” he noted. “Can we consume culture? And if we consume culture, will the economy destroy culture? “Some cultures cannot be approached but there are some cultures that allow limited consumption.” Bai said that much can be learned from Europe, because countries there are experienced at protecting their cultural heritage. Professional management is also needed to “leverage cultural tourism and turn cultural tourism into something useful for the preservation of culture and the development of the economy”, said Bai. Ji of the CCT said that driving cultural tourism requires the preservation of cultural sites and facilities. Rebuilding a culture can be difficult and, perhaps, not a good idea. “Culture must provide something that people can relate to,” said Ji. “We need to have things to represent culture.” Ultimately, said Wang of the CCT, “we should consider all the people around the world when developing tourism products … We need to think about how to reduce products when we develop tourism products.” Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/asiaweekly/2015-10/16/content_15330780.html
2015-10-16“For our travel and tourism business, the emphasis is always on connectivity,” said Peter Wong Man-kong, chairman of the MK Corporation Ltd. His company made its first tourism investment by setting up the Silk Road Dunhuang Hotel in Gansu province in 1993, at a location close to timeless attractions such as the Mogao Grottoes and Mingsha sand dunes. Wong believes cultural heritage development and Silk road revival entered an entirely new era with the launch of the high-speed Urumqi-Lanzhou (Lanxin Second Railway) train services in December 2014. “Because the (1776-kilometer) line passes through most of the Silk Road in China,” Wong pointed out. The Gansu tourism department estimates that destinations like Jiayu Pass, Dunhuang and Zhangye will see a fast and sharp increase in the number of tourists after the completion of the line, which passes through 31 stations as it traverses the provinces of Gansu and Qinghai and the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Wong recalled that in early 1990s, when he started the first hotel project in Dunhuang, local support on logistics, material supply and human resources were all big challenges for his company. But he held onto the business because he knew there was huge market potential in heritage tourism. The statistics he received from the World Tourism Organization at the time revealed that around 70 percent of tourist cash worldwide was spent on visiting heritage sites and this trend has continued for a long time. What was more surprising and exciting to him was that Japan Travel Agency (JTB) in the early 1990s had to divert Japanese tourists to Guilin and Beijing from the Silk Road due to lack of facilities and accommodation, even though the majority of them actually just wanted to visit the Silk Road. “Since reform and opening up, China has accumulated the resources and experience necessary not only for China’s own internal development of the Silk Road but those experiences and resources can now be shared with other neighboring countries,” said Wong. He explained that back in the early 1990s, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) were all very active in pushing forward the Silk Road, trying to forge cooperation among the countries it traversed through. But the plan had to confront several challenges as trade within Central Asia collapsed after the dissolution of the former Soviet Union. The 2014 Investment Guide to the Silk Road released by the United Nations Conferences on Trade and Development showed that between 1992 and 2002, intra-regional trade declined by almost 50 percent. But countries like Kazakhstan and Tajikistan are now on the fast track to developing their economies, which Wong sees as a great opportunity to revive the Silk Road mission of connecting nations and people to achieve economic prosperity for all. “A lot of medium and long-term plans have been laid out by the state government,” said Wong. “Many people like me are watching closely the details of the 13th five-year plan, which has a lot of the relevance to the ‘Belt and Road’ development.” Though this signals an optimal time for the cultural tourism industry under the ‘Belt and Road Initiative’, he is worried that some heritage sites may not be properly preserved if unprofessional players get involved, despite very good government policy. So he would suggest learning from global experiences, like that of Europe and Japan, in terms of developing cultural heritage. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/16/content_15330731.html
2015-10-16About two-thirds of the people in the world cannot travel internationally without getting a visa stamp on a passport, an archaic system that may be holding back growth in the travel and tourism industry. This is not to say that the industry is not growing, quite to the contrary. However, for the hundreds of industry and government officials who gathered in Macao for the Global Tourism Economy Forum from Oct 12 to 14, the issue of visa-free travel is a particularly significant one because it has the potential to stop international tourism in its tracks. For Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), making it easier for people to move across borders is key for the continuous growth in travel and tourism.
2015-10-16The 2015 Global Tourism Economy Forum (GTEF) kicked off in Macao on Monday with government leaders and industry experts immersed in three days of talks on how President Xi Jinping’s “Belt and Road” initiative can assume the role in capitalizing on the transformation of cultural tourism. Hosted by Macao’s Secretariat for Social Affairs and Culture, this year’s event is expected to promote an international dialogue on the theme “Belt and Road Initiative — Unleashing New Dynamics of Cultural Tourism”, while intensifying links with Latin American countries. In his opening address, Chief Executive of the Macao Special Administrative Region Chui Sai-on said the global tourism industry is currently facing immense opportunities and great challenges at the same time. “We have to stand strong today with a clear vision of the future. Striving to combine forces across cultures, sectors and regions, we need to seize every golden opportunity and put it to good use,” he said, adding that Macao, which is included in the “Belt and Road” strategy, can give play to its focal effect and be a part of regional cooperation. Former Macao chief executive Ho Hau-wah, who is now a vice-chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, said the theme of this year’s forum will facilitate discussions on the utilization of each country’s abundant cultural resources to drive and deepen comprehensive economic cooperation and cultural exchanges between countries and regions to achieve mutual advantage. “Tourism is not only our country’s strategic pillar industry. It’s also a force capable of fusing invaluable ancient and modern social and cultural resources, and transforming them into economic activities that benefit people’s livelihoods,” Ho said. The “Belt and Road” initiative, which was first proposed by Xi in 2013, is a trade and infrastructure network that includes the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. Its basic principle is equality and mutual benefit. Taleb Rifai, secretary-general of the World Tourism Organization, told the gathering that Asia and the Pacific is one of the world’s leading tourism regions led by the importance of China — both as a source market and tourism destination. And this year’s forum is to bring Asia to the world and the world to Asia. He said that the links between tourism and culture offer an immense opportunity to contribute to inclusive economic growth, social development and stability and heritage preservation. Both tourism and culture can advance the objectives of the “Belt and Road” initiative. Cultural tourism fosters economic growth, while the responsible use of cultural assets for tourism creates new employment opportunities and generates income for local communities, and thus promotes social development and stability, Rifai said. Li Jinzao, chairman of the China National Tourism Administration, called for more advanced infrastructure development connectivity along the “Belt and Road” countries, as connectivity is an important factor that will lift tourism growth. In conjunction with this year’s GTEF, China Daily and the China Chamber of Tourism will co-host a panel session for the fourth year running, bringing together distinguished academics, as well as experts from the business and travel sectors, to review the trends, opportunities and challenges in cultural tourism. The dialogue, entitled “Exploring the Full Dimension of Cultural Tourism — Cultural Heritage and Creative Living Culture”, will be held on Tuesday at the Venetian Hotel, Macao. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/hknews/2015-10/13/content_15328455.html
2015-10-16Tourism industry experts are optimistic about the future as the "Belt and Road" initiative is expected to generate great opportunities for the sector in both Hong Kong and on the Chinese mainland, particularly with relation to culture-themed tours. The "Belt and Road" involves over 60 countries and economies, many of which are not on the list of major travel destinations for outbound Chinese at the moment. But the potential is absolutely huge, as the establishment of transportation and other infrastructures, the closer relationship among countries, and a more convenient visa application process will bring enormous opportunities to the tourism industry in China, Bai Changhong, dean of the College of Tourism and Service management at Nankai University, told China Daily in Macao on Tuesday. The countries on the "Belt" have rich cultural heritage — for instance, the middle-eastern countries, and central and eastern European nations — all of which offer very suitable conditions to develop cultural tourism, he noted. As for the Chinese mainland, although some of its intangible cultural heritage cannot be developed into direct attractions, these can be artistically presented through souvenirs and other forms of merchandising, Bai said. "The question is not whether we should develop cultural tourism, it should be about the way we develop it. The development should be of high quality to represent the value of our culture," Bai said. The "Belt and Road" initiative has brought new investment opportunities to the Chinese tourism industry. Bai said that several mainland hotel brands have already acquired famous international hotel brands, as Chinese companies understand Chinese tourists better and they have more experience in catering to the needs of Chinese customers. The tourism industry of Hong Kong will also benefit greatly from the "Belt and Road" initiative, he emphasized. Hong Kong, as a traditional tourist attraction, has faced some challenges in attracting more tourists this year, but the "Belt and Road" initiative will generate new business, financial and trading opportunities for the SAR, and these economic and trade exchanges will bring a large number of business travelers to the city. "Hong Kong is an international financial center with a large number of professionals, and the city will continue to act as the middleman between the Chinese mainland and other countries, ASEAN members in particular," Bai said. "I believe Hong Kong’s tourism industry still has much to accomplish against the backdrop of the ‘Belt and Road’ initiative." Bai predicted that in the next five years, the major issue for the Chinese tourism industry will continue to be "short supply", as the household income of mainland families is expected to continue to grow and so the demand for tourism options, both high-end and mass-market, will continue to expand. Bai said he is very optimistic about the future of the country’s tourism industry and he will be very happy to see more Chinese youngsters join the sector. "Because it is a great time for the industry," continued Bai, adding that young people should deepen their understanding of both Chinese and world history and culture in order to build a successful career in the tourism industry. Source: http://www.chinadailyasia.com/2015-10/16/content_15330730.html
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