LCQ16: Developing family-friendly tourism
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Question:
It has been reported that the family-friendly tourism market has been developing gradually in recent years, and family travel has become a popular choice. There are views pointing out that while Hong Kong has various family-friendly tourism resources, such as theme parks, playgrounds, museums and country parks, the overall resources have not been consolidated, the planning of which is rather fragmented, and there is a lack of systematic ancillary facilities for family-friendly tourism. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) whether it has plans to consolidate the family-friendly tourism resources in Hong Kong, introduce a clear and user-friendly map of family-friendly tourism resources to centrally display various types of facilities (e.g. theme parks, playgrounds, museums, country parks and outdoor activity venues), and provide one-stop information services for family tourists, with a view to helping parents plan their trips more conveniently; if so, of the mode to be adopted (e.g. whether mobile applications or online platforms will be included), the implementation details and the timetable; if not, the reasons for that;
(2) whether it will further improve the family-friendly ancillary facilities (including family-friendly toilets, lactation rooms and child-safe facilities) in the family-friendly attractions, as well as the transport links between the attractions, so as to provide a convenient and comfortable experience for family tourists; and
(3) as there are views that the potential of Hong Kong's family-friendly tourism market has not yet been fully realised, how the Government will enhance the quality of existing facilities and introduce innovative family-friendly tourism products (e.g. organising more interactive exhibitions and parent-child activities combining education and entertainment, and providing more suitable indoor and outdoor children's spaces); whether it will introduce preferential policies or subsidies in support of family-friendly tourism, so as to attract more family tourists to choose Hong Kong as their vacation destination?
Reply:
President,
As an international city and a tourism hub with diverse culture, Hong Kong has world-class resources in the areas of culture, sports, tourism, ecology, etc. and has long been one of the most popular tourism destinations in the world attracting many family visitors every year. Hong Kong has the edge to further develop family tourism in terms of tourism products and facilities. Strengthening Hong Kong's status as the premier tourism destination for family visitors is one of the strategies under the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong's Tourism Industry 2.0 promulgated by the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) last year.
In respect of the questions raised by the Hon Nixie Lam, the consolidated reply is as follows:
In terms of tourism products, there are various family-friendly itineraries and products available in the market, such as theme parks, family hiking trails, beaches in close proximity to the city, a variety of cultural and historical experience centres, museums. The Government has also been encouraging and facilitating the tourism industry to develop more family-friendly itineraries and products to showcase the unique characteristics of Hong Kong with a view to attracting more family visitors to Hong Kong. The two theme parks in Hong Kong, i.e. Ocean Park (OP) and Hong Kong Disneyland Resort (HKDL), constantly provide family visitors with offers of discount tickets and hotel packages, and introduce a wide range of suitable activities to provide family visitors with unique travel experiences. The gifting of another two giant pandas, An An and Ke Ke, by the Central Government last year, together with Ying Ying, Le Le and their twin cubs, has made Hong Kong home to the largest number of giant pandas outside Mainland China at present. Our promotion of panda tourism as a priority is particularly appealing to family visitors. Besides, this year marks the 20th anniversary of HKDL, and there will be a year-long celebration which will be highly attractive to family visitors. Additionally, the Government encourages different organisations to launch diversified activities targeting at family visitors. For example, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) offers a variety of family-friendly facilities, including innovative play spaces for children and places to learn about plants and animals, which are highly sought after among parents and children. Examples include Hong Kong Park, Kowloon Park, Hong Kong Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Sham Shui Po Park, Cha Kwo Ling Promenade, Tuen Mun Park. The LCSD also organises The International Arts Carnival and "Summer Family Cine Fest" from July to August every year, as well as Fun@Museum Carnival and fun days during Muse Fest HK every November. Further to the Adventure Night @HKPM: Family Sleepover and various family workshops held in the Hong Kong Palace Museum and M+ respectively last year, the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) will roll out a family arts event WestK FunFest 2025 from March to April this year.
In terms of information dissemination, to facilitate itinerary planning by family visitors, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has listed on its one-stop travel information platform, DiscoverHongKong.com, various points of interest that are suitable for family visitors, including the dedicated page, "Hong Kong attractions for families of all ages", which consolidates various attractions suitable to family visitors like theme parks, Hong Kong Wetland Park (HKWP), on an interactive map; and featured articles recommending itineraries for family travel, providing transportation guide and offering recommendations on indoor family activities such as playgrounds, malls, workshops. The dedicated webpage also covers "12 museums for family days out in Hong Kong" and "Best family-friendly picnic spots in Hong Kong" to offer unique travel experiences to family visitors.
In the meantime, the HKTB will continue to enhance its one-stop travel information platform to consolidate other important travel-related websites and applications (covering, for example, information relating to leisure and cultural facilities of the Government, hiking trails and camping), with a view to providing family visitors with more comprehensive, reliable, and up-to-date travel information and citywide offers. The HKTB will develop Live Travel Map and the Smart Itinerary Planner, which will provide visitors with real-time recommendations of nearby attractions, activities, offers, personalised itinerary suggestions that cater for their interests and preferences, and thereby providing them with unique travel experiences. These smart tourism initiatives are conducive to facilitating and enhancing the experiences of all visitors, including family visitors.
In terms of supporting facilities, the Government has all along been encouraging the hotel industry and various tourist attractions to continuously improve their supporting facilities, including family-friendly facilities such as hotel rooms with family elements and themed on giant pandas and kids. Some hotels are already equipped with family-friendly facilities such as playgrounds, kids clubs and toy rooms.
Moreover, various tourist attractions are well-equipped with family-friendly facilities and services. For example, OP and Water World, HKDL, HKWP, different LCSD venues, the two museums in West Kowloon Cultural District, Ngong Ping Village, provide visitors with family-friendly facilities such as family toilets, changing rooms, nursery rooms. Some attractions also offer strollers and baby carriages rental service. Different attractions will continue to enhance their family-friendly facilities and services having regard to the preferences and needs of family visitors.
The CSTB will, together with the HKTB, relevant bureaux and departments as well as the trade, continue to explore means to further promote the development of family tourism, develop and promote itineraries and products with unique Hong Kong characteristics, as well as provide suitable accommodation, supporting facilities and tailor-made travel experiences. We will target at not only family visitors but also MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions) and business travellers attracting them to visit Hong Kong with their families, with a view to developing Hong Kong into a premier tourism destination for family visitors.
Ends/Wednesday, February 26, 2025
Issued at HKT 14:45
Issued at HKT 14:45
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