Comparison Tourism Policies of Singapore and Hong Kong

A Comparison of National Tourism Policies

Why the reflection on tourism policies matters.

The main goal of tourism development is creating and enlarging competitiveness and

sustainability of destinations.

The government has an important role in terms of tourism development as it constitutes

the basic framework in which private tourism businesses can operate and shape

destination competitiveness.

The formulation of competitive tourism policies is the key to success for a destination as

it provides guidelines for balanced relations between public and private tourism initiatives.

In the cases of Singapore and Hong Kong, the necessity of good tourism policies to

enhance their competitiveness becomes obvious as new destinations like Cambodia and

Vietnam with their exotic Asian metropols entry the Asian tourism market.

(Wong et al. 2008)

Literature and Task.

Wong, E.P.V., Bauer, T.G., Wong, K.K.F. (2008): A critical comparison of tourism

policies of Hong Kong and Singapore. An Avenue to mutual learning. International

Journal of Tourism Research. 10 (3). pp. 193-206.

Discuss the findings of the article with regard to your findings and experiences

during your visit.

The article discusses the tourism policies of Hong Kong and Singapore that are

captured in the particular master plans.

The authors use qualitative interviews to detect the aspects of similarities and

differences of tourism political approaches.

To stimulate improvements in terms of competitiveness and sustainability for both

destinations, aspects are identified where one destination can learn from the other.

(Wong et al. 2008)

Summary of the Article

Comparable history as former British colonies that the similar features of “East

meets West” experiences in activities like shopping, dining, sightseeing.

Similar stage of development of the economies

• Tourist arrivals

• Good infrastructure (international airports, public transportation, tourism

related facilities like hotels & convention centers)

• Economic competitiveness

Appreciating und future oriented consideration of the tourism industry which

becomes obvious in long-term master plans

Tourism policy is seen as effective tool to manage economic and social issues.

Both Destination aim to enhance their competitiveness and want to become the

most important Asian city for leisure and business travellers.

(Wong et al. 2008)

Similarities of the destinations

Differences of the destinations

Different scope of vision

Different endowments of the business environments

Different appreciation of public private relationships

Different Scope of the Vision

Hong Kong

Expanding the Horizons

„Establish and promote Hong Kong as

Asia„s premier international city, a

world-class destination for leisure and

business visitors“

Singapore

Tourism 21 – Vision of a Tourism Capital

„Singapore does not only want to become

an attractive destination, but also a location

for tourism investments in and a vital link to

the Asia Pacific region“

(Wong et al. 2008)

The aim to get an attractive destination becomes clear.

• very non-specific formulation

• aspired scope is not mentioned

Detailed descirption of the scope

Singapore is striving for.

Different endowments

to the business environments

Hong Kong

Market-centered approach to tourism

development

Aspects that may detain investors:

• decreasing work force quality

• stagnant GDP grwoth

• budget deficits

• Decreasing political effectiveness

• Aspect of policy towards private enterprises

got lost

• No attractive incentives or tailor-made

support for international investors

• No transparency in decision making processes

Singapore

Encourage investments in Singapore to

develop new attractions and experiences

Aspects that may encourage investors:

• Strong fiscal position

• High quality of labour force

• Option to get tailor-made support in marketing

and HR training through the Tourism

Development Assistance Scheme (TDAS)

• Business Headquarters Program which awards

international companies that open up a regional

headquarter in Singapore e.g with tax incentives

(Wong et al. 2008)

Different appreciation

of public private relationships

Hong Kong

• Market-led governance

• The private sector has to make the first step

towards economic development.

• Laissez-faire policy

• Tendency to react.

Singapore

• Strategic pragmatism oriented governance

• Tourism development is public-sector driven

• Intervention of the government if market failured

become obvious.

• Dialogues between public and private sector are

appreciated

• Proactive approach

(Wong et al. 2008)

Catch a short glimpse

of my personal experiences.

• Not as clean as expected

• Very expensive (EUR 20 for a pre-mixed Singapore Sling)

• Many different cultures (languages heard, food)

• Good tourism infrastructure

• Everything seems to be restricted and limited

• Good service quality (e.g. JetStar openend a separate check-in gate at Changi

Airport when we were recognized as a group)

• It is easy to find your way through Singapore as English is an official language.

• First experiences of a tropical rain shower

My experiences in Singapore

• Colorful, busy, crowded

• Mr. Wong showed us what Asian hospitality is all about.

• Good public transportation system

• The Chinese culture is dominant whereas the culture of the former British colonialists

has disappeared virtually everywhere. e.g. you will hardly find a taxi driver that

understands english. You should always carry a piece of paper with you with your

destination in Chinese letters on it.

• Multiple traditional markets that offer a unique and cheap shopping experience e.g.

Ladies Market

• Disappointing experience at Hong Kong Disneyland

My experiences in Hong Kong

Lessons to learn.

Refering to the article and my personal experiences

Encourage entrepreneurship through educate the next generation of entrepreneurs

What can Singapore learn from Hong Kong?

Hong Kong Polytec, School of Hotel and Tourism Management & Hotel Icon

Encourage entrepreneurship through retiring restrictions and create an environment to

free the minds and to go beyond the existing


Everything seems to be restrived in Singapore whereas Hong Kong is very liberal especially in terms of transportation modes.

The Chinese Market will become one of the internationally most important ones.

Due to Hong Kong being a SAR of China, it is well prepared for Chinese guests arriving

with their specific needs in terms of transportation & orientation, language, food and

willingness to spend money on shopping.


But Singapore seems to be very aware of the Chinese market as the availablity of

Chinese guided tours at Singapore Night Safari and a special commercial of the STB for

the Chinese market indicate. Nevertheless there is space for further improvements.


(STB 2012)

Proactive support of the the tourism industry and provision of subsidies

e.g. the retiring of the prohibition of gambling to attract the international hospitality

business Sands which builded the Marina Bay Sands that is nowadays one remarkable

landmark of Singapore offering high-quality hotel and convention facilities

What can Hong Kong learn from Singapore?

Visionary leadership of Singapore which makes the STB to think more like

a cooperation than like a governmental institution. Potential needs of the

future can be detected proactively.


(STB 2012)

Visionary leadership of Singapore with the dedicated focus on the

customization of experiences to meet the human need of self-fulfillment.


(STB 2012)

The individual that may be an

individual traveller or an

individual tourism business with

specific needs is in the center of

interest.

Knowledge and consideration of the markets of India and the ASEAN that are markets

with great potential in the future due to the increasing wealth of huge middle-classes in

these countries.


(STB 2012)

Experiences of Singapore as tourism hub thanks to the Changi Airport with ist open

skies policy and a dense net of global destinations served as illustrated below.

Many tourists tend to plan a stop-over when traveling to long-haul destinations. Hong

Kong increase the profits of this travel behaviour by stronger consideration of the airport

as gate towards Hong Kong.


(Star Alliance 2012)

Conclusion.

Hong Kong and Singapore are both destinations that provide breath-taking

experiences.

At first glance, they seem to be side very similar but when taking a closer

look the differences become obvious.

I consider Singapore as well-structured melting pot of Western and Asian

cultures that provides a wide range of different but high-quality tourism

products.

Hong Kong tends to be more vibrant which may derive from its bigger size

compared to Singapore. Hong Kong is dominated by the Chinese culture

and offers more divers tourism products and activities than Singapore.

Learn from each other but keep your uniqueness!

The approach of mutual learning possibilities in terms of the tourism

policies of Hong Kong and Singapore described in the article matches

with my personal experiences.

Nevertheless Singapore and Hong Kong should preserve their unique

character which is besides the establishment of competitive long-term

tourism policies a main part of destination competitiveness as well.

References & Picture Credits.

Pictures by Stefanie Dietrich and Daniela Aichner

Star Alliance (2012):Singapore Airlines Network

http://www.staralliance.com/assets/images/member-airlines/network/sq.jpg

STB (2012): Presentation about the Activities of STB. 22.10.2012

Wong, E.P.V., Bauer, T.G., Wong, K.K.F. (2008): A critical comparison of tourism policies

of Hong Kong and Singapore. An Avenue to mutual learning. International Journal of

Tourism Research. 10 (3). pp. 193-206.




A Comparison of National Tourism Policies

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Comparison Tourism Policies of Singapore and Hong Kong