Young tourists going for unique fun - and funny

Chew on this: there's a new trendy list of what young mainlanders want to do in Hong Kong - and it's nothing like what their parents go for.

They like bringing a takeaway meal from McDonald's to MacDonnell Road, visiting Grade II historic building Yau Ma Tei Police Station and buying second-hand cameras in Sham Shui Po.

And they share pictures of them doing these on mainland social media platform Xiaohongshu - or Little Red Book.

Instead of raiding pharmacies, shopping in designer stores or visiting traditional attractions like the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai, the young go for a taste of local culture.

They usually opt for cha chaan tengs and dive deep into Yau Tsim Mong and Sham Shui Po districts.

Many young mainlanders, especially fans of McDonald's, would flock to MacDonnell Road in Mid-Levels to take pictures with their takeaway meals - despite the road being named after former Hong Kong governor Richard Graves MacDonnell, who was in office from 1866 to 1872.

Some locals are confused by their behavior, but others said they are free to take pictures wherever they want.

One of the young mainlanders said they understand that the road and the fast-food chain are not connected, but getting a photo holding a McDonald's bag there became popular after Hong Kong singer Eason Chan Yick-shun included this line in a song: "Why isn't there a McDonald's store on MacDonnell Road?"

The young tourist added: "Every city has places that locals find ordinary but visitors find interesting, such as the Great Wall in Beijing and the Terracotta Army in Xian. There is nothing wrong with us to trying something new."

Mainland youngsters also like visiting places that were filmed in TVB comedy Come Home Love: Lo and Behold, as well as the Yau Ma Tei Police Station, which has appeared many times in TVB dramas.

They like taking pictures at some public housing estates with unique features, including Lok Wah Estate and Choi Hung Estate.

Instead of going shopping at fancy malls in Tsim Sha Tsui, many go to Apliu Street in Sham Shui Po to find second-hand cameras as they are interested in vintage goods.

Catering veteran Simon Wong Ka-wo said many tourists now visit nontraditional sights due to the promotion of mainland social media influencers. He added: "The mainland tourists visit some small stores with unique characteristics and enjoy local cuisine at cha chaan tengs, including Hong Kong-style milk tea, pineapple buns with butter and egg tarts."

Wong, president of the Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, also said tourists want to spend less on local dishes after the pandemic so they avoid high-end restaurants.

New People's Party lawmaker Dominic Lee Tsz-king said mainlanders rely more on Xiaohongshu to find restaurants and sightseeing spots rather than traditional websites.

Lee said he has proposed that authorities make better use of Xiaohongshu to "tell a good Hong Kong story" and that the government has said it will collaborate with mainland social media influencers.

Local opinion leaders could also learn to operate a Xiaohongshu platform to know the "undiscovered tourist spots and stores," he said.

A lawmaker of the wholesale and retail sector, Peter Shiu Ka-fai, said such "deep traveling" has also been seen in places like Thailand and Japan, with tourists exploring distinctive spots on their own.

So the business sector will monitor the trend and seize the opportunity, he said.

Shiu said the trend means more tourists will be in closer contact with local residents, so he is appealing to them to be more helpful.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com