Social News
Written by: Yuan Shu
2021-04-03 11:00
Last update date: 2021-04-03 11:00
In the face of the epidemic, the world has imposed the most severe entry and exit restrictions, which has dealt a severe blow to the tourism industry.
Although the five-day Easter holiday has begun, it has not yet brought the festive atmosphere as it used to, and the opportunities for tourists to visit Hong Kong or for Hong Kong people to travel abroad have not seen any light.
Deng Hanqiang, a tour guide who has been in the tourism industry in Hong Kong for more than 20 years, said that around Easter each year, it was the time when the tourism industry began to prosper and prosper, but now there is no business at all. ."
After the SARS in 2003, the tourism industry was fully resurrected in just a few months. However, Deng Hanqiang is not optimistic about the recovery after the new crown pneumonia epidemic. "The tour bus and group dining restaurants are all dead, and it takes a long time to rebirth. a period of time".
In the past, most of the high-end foreign groups said that he would consider turning his attention to the mainland of China, but he still insisted on taking the high-end route to ensure the quality of service. "This is the only way out in the short term."
Deng Hanqiang's travel agency is in the busy district of Tsim Sha Tsui, but after the epidemic, he almost never came here except to get letters.
(Photo by Yu Junliang)
The travel agency run by Deng Hanqiang is located in the busy district of Tsim Sha Tsui, and he frankly said that he has not returned for a long time.
The 2020 calendar on the wall has been removed, but the 2021 calendar has not been replaced so far. The small space seems a bit empty.
He said that at the beginning of the epidemic, there were still some "hands and tails" to deal with and would return to the shop from time to time. However, there were no customers for more than a year, and the computers in the shop had been taken home, leaving only some unorganized files. The government requires every travel agency to have a fixed address, so it will keep a place for the time being."
In previous years, the sound of the currency counter in the Chaotian Building was constantly sounding during Easter
During Easter time in previous years, travel agencies were always busy, and guides came up every day to pick up tickets.
Deng Hanqiang said that he specializes in high-end customers. In order to ensure the quality, many groups are personally involved. Therefore, he has to bring at least 5 groups a month. "It is really impossible to arrange it, and I will divide other people. Basically, it started in April. It’s busy, and there will be tourists from Southeast Asia in the summer vacation. Autumn is the peak season, and there will be a group of European and American tourists after Christmas and New Year, many groups."
He said that there are 3 travel agencies in the same building, and they are all in the same situation as him now-the doors are locked and there is no business.
He said that the shops in the central area of the building have also been "exposed". On the contrary, the deeper and low-rent shops can still keep on operating. "In the past, it was not a lot of excitement. There were high-profile buyers who bought designer watches and designer handbags. That's a lot. I remember hearing the sound of the banknote machine counting money all afternoon."
Deng Hanqiang joined the industry in 1998 and witnessed the most prosperous time in Hong Kong's tourism industry.
(Photo by Yu Junliang)
Witness the most prosperous era of Hong Kong's tourism industry, insist on being high-end customers and not opening low-price groups
Deng Hanqiang, who joined the industry in 1998, has witnessed the most prosperous era in Hong Kong's tourism industry.
Recalling that Sino-US relations were in the honeymoon period at that time, US President Clinton even visited China. The last stop was Hong Kong, attracting many foreign guests to explore the mysteries of China. Many of them even named "Clinton Route". Deng Hanqiang said, "Foreign countries The customers were generous, and sometimes tips could cost hundreds of dollars. At that time, Hong Kong was not expensive, and it was a veritable shopping paradise that foreigners like to come and play."
Deng later jumped out of large companies to receive tourism teams as a freelancer, and then set up his own company in 2017. Deng Hanqiang has been focusing on foreign high-end customers and mainland business travelers.
Compared with Hong Kong's overwhelmingly low-cost travel agencies that receive mainland visitors, he is unique.
He said that many experts in the market have designed "low-price groups" to attract mainland customers, and then make money by means of shopping commissions. The income is indeed higher, but foreign groups or business guests who do not have so many shopping trips can be said to be relatively stable. But it can maintain the quality of the entire tour.
In recent years, there has been an increase in mainland tourists, and many travel agencies have launched low-cost tour groups; while Deng Hanqiang emphasized the quality of service and insisted on providing services for foreign high-end groups and mainland business travelers.
(Photo by Yu Junliang)
Persist in taking guests to sigh the most beautiful scenery, and repeat customers will feel more satisfied
Deng Hanqiang said that some tour groups would be greedy for convenience. After taking guests to Happy Valley, they walked south along Stubbs Road and asked the guests to get off the car and take pictures. They were deemed to have visited Taiping Mountain and then went straight to Ocean Park. I usually take the guests up to the top of the mountain, the side is the most beautiful."
Deng Hanqiang said that he had a lot of "repeat customers", and he also gave him a lot of satisfaction.
He said that Hong Kong is a small place with mountains, waters, beaches, theme parks, islands, and rivers, as well as world-class night scenes. He believes these are the reasons why Hong Kong’s tourism industry can endure for a long time. They are all business cards of Hong Kong. They are not as fun as some people say, they are only suitable for shopping. They are their own signatures."
The Avenue of Stars in Victoria Harbour used to be crowded with people, but after the epidemic, it calmed down.
Deng Hanqiang predicts that mainland tourists will be the only way out for Hong Kong's tourism industry in the short term.
(Photo by Yu Junliang)
It takes time for the tourism industry to regenerate: Mainland tourists are the only way out in the short term
At the end of March, Deng Hanqiang went to Saigon to visit and saw a foreigner living in Hong Kong eating seafood at a seafood restaurant. He said that he felt very embarrassed at that moment and reminded him of the beginning of the epidemic. The last tour group he brought was received at the end of January last year. Yes, I did not lead a group for the whole year. From looking forward to summer vacation, to National Day, to Christmas and New Year, "IKEA is most optimistic that it will not return to normal until the end of the year."
Recall that after the SARS epidemic ended in 2003, the tourism industry in Hong Kong immediately rebounded in just a few months. Coupled with the liberalization and freedom of travel, the number of tourists has increased dramatically.
However, he does not have much confidence in the recovery of the tourism industry after the epidemic.
He explained that the epidemic has lasted too long, many industries have been destroyed, the past group meals have disappeared, and the tourist bus has also suffered heavy losses, "everyone has switched to business"; on the other hand, "China-US relations" The difference will also directly affect the desire of foreigners to come to Hong Kong."
He said that from the perspective of the situation, Hong Kong will be the first to clear customs with the mainland. He has temporarily set his sights on high-end and business customers in the mainland, and has opened an account on the mainland social software "Tik Tok", and filmed and edited himself to promote Hong Kong. Tourism, "Mainland tourists are the only way out in the short term."
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