Exploring Hong Kong A Visitors Guide to Hong Kong Island - Book Report/Review Example

 Table of Contents Table of Contents 1 Introduction 2 Background of Hong Kong 2 Trend of the Business Event Industry in Hong Kong 3 Key Supply and Demand Issues in the Business Event Industry 4 Way Forward for Business Event Industry in Hong Kong 10 Conclusion 11 Reference List 13 Introduction Hong Kong is observed to play a principal role in enhancing the economic position of China. The growth of the region along economic and trade front is observed to be generated by the hosting of different types of trade events, expos and other types of trade fairs which contributes in the flow of tourists and business revenues. The paper relating to the above issue tends to evaluate the manner through which the existing transportation, hospitality and other event organising infrastructures rightly contribute in absorbing the flow of tourists in the peak periods. Effective recommendations would be generated thereof to help the tourism and event industry in Hong Kong gain the needed potential in hosting mega events in the future period. Background of Hong Kong Hong Kong came into existence during 1997 as ‘Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China (PRC)’. In terms of location, Hong Kong is observed to be situated in the South-Eastern point of China that contributes in enhancing its global position. The region constituted by a total of 262 islands reflects a total population of 7,103,700 million people revealed from an estimate carried out during the 2011 period. The larger concentration of population of around 95 percent relate to the Chinese population. The other 5 percent of the total population is constituted by people hailing from other nations like Philippines, Indonesia and also from United States. Two main languages used relating to communication in domestic and business sector in China account to be, English and Chinese. Hong Kong is characterised by the existence of free trading activities owing to lack of effective trade barriers and also transparency in the regulatory climate. In terms of safety ratings, Hong Kong tends to score high in the list of safe countries with a crime detection rate of 42.5 percent measured along 2011. The rate of violent crimes estimated during the same period amount to be 63.11 percent (Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office, 2006). Trend of the Business Event Industry in Hong Kong Different types of business events like Trade Fairs and Expos are held in Hong Kong along different periods. Organization of a large number of trade and business events from time to time rightly contributes in attracting a large number of tourists and visitors to the region. Existence of a large number of exhibition venues in Hong Kong contribute in generating a vibrant image of the trade shows and exhibitions organized in the region from time to time. Different types of events like Jewellery and Flower Shows are carried out in the region during March. An Electronics Fair or Show is taken to be hosted by the region around April while July stands as the month for hosting of events like Book Fair and Game Shows. A Food Expo is held by the region during August while Watch and Clock Fair are hosted by the Hong Kong government during September (Peng, 2010). This reflects that, all around the year the government of Hong Kong tends to organize different types of events. This contributes in enhancing the flow of tourists and in generating business revenues (Hoffman, 2014). Estimates made during 2010 reflect that the exhibition and trade activities tend to contribute to around HK$35.8 billion. Further estimates reflect that, the exhibition industry in Hong Kong tend to constitute around 2.1 percent of the total Gross Domestic Product ,while also helping in generating potential employment in the country. The generation of the different types of events and exhibitions is also observed to largely contribute in the growth of different service sectors related to hotels and catering business and also in the development of the transportation sector (Cheng, 2011). Key Supply and Demand Issues in the Business Event Industry The supply and demand issues relating to the Business Event Industry would be evaluated based on the availability of transportation, restaurant, hotel and restaurant infrastructure in the region. The air transport system in Hong Kong contributes in helping the country to sustain its ties with other key economies of the world. The Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) is observed to generate around 1000 flights at an average basis through the use of 100 different airliners. HKIA ranks as the third busiest airport among the other Asian countries that generates services to a total of 56.5 million passengers obtained from an estimate made during 2012. The airport serves as a key link for travellers endeavouring to visit the mainland of China through synchronization of its services with sea and land transport mechanisms. This contributes in generating ease, comfort and speed of transport to the people aiming to visit the mainland of China. Air transport systems in Hong Kong thus, contribute in effectively meeting the transport demands of the visitors to other regions for taking part in events (Hong Kong Trade Development Council, 2013). The transport demand of the commuters in Hong Kong based on rails is met through the development of the Mass Transit Railway (MTR) system. The MTR contributes in generating connectivity of Hong Kong to other districts in the Chinese territory. The operations of MTR is carried out based on a use of ten rail lines along with use of a light railway system and also the introduction of an inter-city railway service. These operations thus, potentially contribute in uniting Hong Kong to other regions pertaining to Mainland China. Increasing demand of the commuters is met through enhancing on the parameters of accessibility and cost effectiveness of the MTR services in Hong Kong. MTR system tends to generate highly frequent services by running trains from morning 6AM to 12 in the midnight. This service helps in handling the flow of commuters to the different regions along Mainland China (Hong Kong Tourism Board, 2014). The road transport in Hong Kong is based on the incorporation of multimodal transport system through use of buses and cabs. The availability of bus transport in Hong Kong is made frequently available and is highly cost effective in nature. Generation of such low cost and frequent form of road transport contributes in meeting the demands of the commuters. Mini Buses are also available as another effective mode of road transport that are both cheaper and contributes in helping meet the demands of commuters relating to local transport. The existence of cabs as a frequent and cost effective mode of road transport also serves the needs of commuters in Hong Kong (Establish Hong Kong Limited, 2013). The link between Hong Kong with Mainland China is made possible through the use of road transport mechanism like rental cars and also the availability of coaches. The sea transport in Hong Kong is carried out based on the use of Ferries that contribute in helping a large range of commuters to move along different regions along China. Ferry transport systems earn needed significance relating to Hong Kong owing to its increased frequency and also cost effective nature compared to buses (Rioni, 2002). Hong Kong is observed to enhance its economic and business potential based on the development of needed telecommunication infrastructure. Enhancement of the telecommunication sector contributes in the effective transmission of voice and data based information along regional and international spheres. Hong Kong is observed to have pioneered in the fields of digital telephone network, interactive televisions and also related to the portability of telephone numbers. The region boasts of the existence of potential telecommunication resources relating to large scale penetration of telephone lines, cellular networks and also use of fax machines. Hong Kong also reflects to be the largest commercial satellite station in the whole of Asia. Mobile network in the region is enhanced through the generation of 3.5G and 4G network, while large scale investment of around HK$217.6 million is made relating to the development and growth of internet services. The internet based communication activities both related to domestic and corporate level are carried out in a Wi-Fi environment which makes communication highly faster and effective (Zhao, 2011). The following graphs in a respective fashion show the telecommunication services and telecommunication penetration is high related to mobile communication along the periods 2005 to 2010. (Educations Bureau , 2008) Similarly, the subsequent graphs are generated to reflect the growth in internet user and penetration rates in Mainland China in a respective fashion. (Educations Bureau, 2008) The hotel industry of Hong Kong is mainly based along three categories related to Tariff A, Tariff B and the Medium Tariff. Categorization of the hotels along the given tariffs is made based on a five point evaluation system like location of the hotels, facilities provided, ratio of staffs-to-room, and rates of hotel rooms and also the elements of business mix. During 2012, around 39 percent of the total hotels related to Tariff B category followed by Tariff A with 24 percent and Medium Tariff with 20 percent. The same is reflected in the following graph. (Savills Research, 2013) Hong Kong reflects a huge availability of hotel rooms relating to the different hotels. The number of hotel rooms is observed to increase in size from 32,871 rooms based along 88 hotels during 1999 to 63,442 rooms estimated along 196 hotels during the close of 2012. By the close of 2016, it is estimated that the total availability of hotel rooms in Hong Kong would be around 74,268 rooms based along 254 hotels. The same is reflected in the following graph. (Savills Research, 2013) In terms of the number of visitors coming to Hong Kong, estimates made along 2010 reflect that a total of 6.8 million people visited the region. The maximum number of visitors consists of leisure customers that accounted for around 56 percent of the total group. Further, around 26 percent of the total visitors were accounted to be business customers. The rate of occupancy to the different hotels along the 1998 to 2010 period reflected a downward trend of business customers with a steep rise in the rate of tour groups and other individual visitors. The same is reflected in the following graph. (Savills Research, 2013). In terms of the global trade and economic scenario, Hong Kong is observed to rank in the 9th position. The government of Hong Kong to help enhance on the above position is working on the development of large scale trade and exhibition centres in the region. Different venues like the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) based in the business district of Hong Kong, the Asia World-Expo (AWE) located near the Hong Kong airport and also the International Trade and Exhibition Centre of Hong Kong based in Kowloon Bay, contribute in attracting a large number of potential business customers to the region. Estimates made relating to the total exhibition space in Hong Kong amount to 150,000 square kilometres during 2012 which helped the region to host around 140 different types of exhibitions. (Bailey, 2009) These venues generated occupancy to around 1.7 million foreign visitors flocking to Hong Kong during 2012 to attend the different events and exhibitions. Hosting of large number of events and exhibitions made Hong Kong to be recognised as one of the best business city around the world during 2012. Despite the above case, Hong Kong is observed to suffer owing to the limitations of the number of venues for holding exhibitions and events especially during the peak seasons. To counter the above issue, the government of Hong Kong is focusing on generating needed expansion to the centres hosting the expo and the events. Hong Kong’s government is observed to gain needed support from other external service providers like companies related to travel, transportation, hospitality and also from insurance sectors to help in generating effective expansion in the number of venues (Hong Kong Trade Development Council, 2013). Way Forward for Business Event Industry in Hong Kong Effective recommendations relating to the generation of commercial and business sites needs to be incorporated to contribute in the development of exhibition and trade venues and also in the growth of hotels and other tourism infrastructures. Similarly, the government of Hong Kong is also focusing on the conversion of different government buildings and property to help contribute in the generation of commercial and hotel properties. Enhancement of commercial property is also taken as a way forward to help in the development of real estate for promoting the growth of tourism in Hong Kong. Further, the tourism board of Hong Kong also focuses on the effective promotion of the different types of events through the use of internet and social networking mediums. Use of such promotional mediums along with print and broadcasting media is taken to largely contribute in generating large scale awareness of the events held along different periods. Way forwards are suggested by the Hong Kong government in terms of strategising the transportation facilities relating road and rail transport operations. The transport operations are required to assess the amount of growth of tourists in the region during peak times. This would contribute in rightly scheduling the transport infrastructures to help in addressing the commutation needs of the people along with specific points. Development of shopping centres along different regions in Hong Kong is taken to largely attract the growth of tourists and visitors to the regions and also help in generating needed employment. Finally, the Tourism Department is also focusing on the generation of guidebooks, digital media platforms and other public relation activities to reflect on the national culture of Hong Kong. The same would also contribute in highlighting the heritage and historical essence of Hong Kong to generate value additions in the tourism front (GovHK, 2014). Conclusion The prominence of Hong Kong emerging out as a potential economic region in the world is observed to encourage the flow of different types of tourists both business and leisure in the region. Hong Kong Government to further enhance and attract the flow of tourists and trade in the region is observed to encourage the growth of different types of events. Generation of events like trade shows, expos and exhibitions is observed to potentially contribute in augmenting the GDP of the country and also in promoting large scale employment. The hosting of such events in close frequencies is observed to generate considerable requirement for the designing and planning of effective transportation and hospitality services. Adequate amount of transportation and hospitality infrastructures in place with also effective planning and scheduling operations is taken to help in servicing the huge inflow of tourists. Similarly, the government is also required to enhance the growth of venues in the region which in turn contributes in the increase of floor and exhibition area for hosting of events. Large scale promotional activities are being planned by the government through the use of internet based, broadcasting and print media platforms. These activities along with other public relation programs are taken to largely contribute in developing needed awareness for the events among the target groups. Finally, development of shopping centres is also taken into account to attract and sustain the flow of tourists in the region. These activities rightly implemented, would contribute in helping Hong Kong host mega events in large frequencies and also in satisfying the needs of the different visitors touring to different regions. Reference List Bailey, S.K., 2009. Exploring Hong Kong: A Visitor's Guide to Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, and the New Territories. Hong Kong: ThingsAsian Press. Cheng, T., 2011. 2010 HKECIA Economic Impact Study Report. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 18 October 2014]. Educations Bureau , 2008. Information and Communications Technology (ICT) - Communications and Information Services branch. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 18 October 2014]. Establish Hong Kong Limited , 2013. Infrastructure. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 17 October 2014]. GovHK, 2014. Press Releases. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 18 October 2014]. Hoffman, M., 2014. Hong Kong Trade Shows and Fairs. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 18 October 2014]. Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office , 2006. Background information about Hong Kong. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 17 October 2014]. Hong Kong Tourism Board, 2014. MTR. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 17 October 2014]. Hong Kong Trade Development Council, 2013. Air Transport Industry in Hong Kong. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 17 October 2014]. Hong Kong Trade Development Council, 2013. Convention and Exhibition Industry in Hong Kong. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 18 October 2014]. Peng, M., 2010. Global Business. United States : Cengage Learning. Rioni, S.G., 2002. Hong Kong in Focus: Political and Economic Issues. Hong Kong : Nova Publishers. Savills Research , 2013. Asian Cities Report: Hong Kong Hospitality. [Online] Available at: [Accessed 18 October 2014]. Zhao, Y., 2011. Cyber Law in Hong Kong. United States : Kluwer Law International. Read More