Hype up pandas and smile more, please

Staff reporter

Ocean Park can do more to promote the panda economy, says Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui, who also urges Hongkongers to smile more.

Speaking on television yesterday, the new tourism chief said that with the Hong Kong-born panda twins meeting the public after the Lunar New Year, she expects a "huge wave of promotions" for the panda economy.

"Ocean Park's effort in promoting the panda economy is satisfactory, but I think the park can do even more. For instance, there are now some 300 kinds of panda souvenirs, but most of the people think they are just plush toys," Law said.

"I think the park can roll out more merchandise with more variety."

She added that Hong Kong's six pandas have what it takes to become "superstars" and that she is in talks with the park to find ways to share the pandas' daily lives without disturbing them.

"For instance, we can share footage of Ying Ying taking care of her children, or even let the public participate in the process, to [contribute] to the tourism industry."

On another TV program, Law said every Hongkonger can become a "tourism ambassador" by smiling more often.

"I can fondly remember when we had a happy problem with too many tourists, and we did not need to provide good hospitality to attract them, and tourists would queue up outside shops to probably buy a few watches or handbags.

"But the consumption and travel patterns have changed massively in the past decade. I believe smiling can be spread around; your smile will [be passed along] to people around you and eventually to tourists."

She also expressed hopes that after the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong's Tourism Industry 2.0 was rolled out last week, the community can think of new ways of attracting tourists.

On other matters, Law said the government will hammer out details of a more stringent regulation toward stage platforms within the first quarter of the year, in relation to the July 28, 2022 Mirror concert incident, when a massive screen collapsed during the popular boy band's performance at the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom.