HK To Cavort To Double-Digit Growth On Bollywood’s Heels

Mahesh Tharani - Mumbai

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is looking at a double-digit growth in the next five years for Indian outbound tourists visiting Hong Kong. The country, which presently attracts 244,000 tourists a year, is looking at the Hindi film industry to promote the country amongst Indians.

David Leung, regional director - South and South East Asia, Hong Kong Tourism Board says, "From 90,000 visitors five years ago we have come a long way. We expect double digit growth for the next five years and are banking on Bollywood to promote the country." Other than films the board would be implementing niche-marketing strategies targeting businesswomen and other categories.

Hong Kong, which receives 70 per cent of its Indian tourists for business and 20 per cent for leisure will be looking at substantiating their growth by working with various airlines other than Cathay Pacific. Leung says, "We are working with Air India, Malaysian Airlines, Singapore Airlines and Sri Lankan Airlines to offer packages."

Their major initiative of getting producers from India to shoot their films in Hong Kong is being considered by HKTB as less of a revenue generator and more of a promotional tool. Lueng says, "We will be facilitating the pre-production, production and post-production of a movie by helping the producers with subsidised tickets, permissions required for shooting and information about post-production facilities." HKTB will though not be subsidising costs while shooting and will be evaluating scripts and the value-addition that Hong Kong would gain from the movie being filmed there.

With two flights out of India to Hong Kong, the board will also be making efforts to attract Indians by selling the destination as a leisure destination. "We are looking at packaging Hong Kong as a honeymooner’s destination from centres other than Mumbai and Delhi."

The country, which had been affected by SARS will be counting their blessings that the tsunami did not affect their tourist arrivals and will be hoping that the next five years donot throw up any unforeseen calamities.