【社評雙語道】融匯中西文化 打造特色盛事

原文

摘錄自10月27日香港《文匯報》：近日，在中環海濱舉辦的大型戶外盛事「香港美酒佳餚巡禮」及「維港海上大巡遊」，均受到市民、遊客追捧，人流如鯽，氣氛熾熱。

這兩項盛事成功舉辦證明，善用本港世界級旅遊資源，突出本港中西薈萃、多元共融的特色和優勢，只要肯花心思、創新意，盛事經濟「有得玩」「有排玩」，可以達至吸引高端遊客、帶旺消費、推介各行各業優質產品服務的多贏效果。此次盛事活動的成功經驗值得推而廣之，讓本港「區區有盛事、日夜都繽紛」，香港旅遊之都、美食天堂的招牌更熠熠生輝。

近年受環球經濟復甦未如預期、遊客消費模式改變的影響，本港旅遊業面臨遊客消費力下降、過夜客減少的挑戰。近日兩項盛事活動丁財兩旺，對本港旅遊業具有突破困局、迎來轉機的啟示。

首先，中環海濱坐擁世界級的維港美景，本身已經是一大「賣點」，在這裏舉辦盛事能夠吸引眾多遊客和市民參與。

其次，這兩項盛事堅持中外元素結合的原則，「香港美酒佳餚巡禮」匯聚全球31個國家及地區的美酒和美食；「維港海上大巡遊」集結多個風靡全球的重量級IP，包括多啦A夢、KAWS & 芝麻街、麥當勞滑嘟嘟，以及泡泡瑪特旗下人氣角色LABUBU巨型海上充氣雕塑，同時亦會舉辦《Kpop獵魔女團》、《怪奇物語》、SNOOPY與《花生漫畫》家族等人氣IP主題市集。一次過可以品嘗中外美酒佳餚，與全球最出名的人氣IP充氣雕塑「打卡」，充分體現了香港中外文化融合的特質，讓遊客感受到其他城市難以複製的旅遊體驗。

此外，此次兩項盛事推出的美酒佳餚、人氣IP都經過精心挑選，優質新穎、具代表性，業界中人均表示對遊客特別是年輕一代具很大吸引力。昨日天氣炎熱，但無阻市民、遊客入場熱情。有「香港美酒佳餚巡禮」參展商表示，攤位生意理想，每個時段均現人潮高峰，忙碌時甚至應接不暇，反映活動成效顯著。

「香港美酒佳餚巡禮」「維港海上大巡遊」本身是上佳的宣傳推介平台，入場市民、遊客絡繹不絕，盛事中的產品、人氣IP受到歡迎，口碑更響，進一步提升品牌知名度，拓展商機、增加受眾；兩項盛事帶來大量客流，中環海濱附近的商場、食肆也受惠。

實際情況顯示，懂得識變求變應變，香港旅遊業前景依然亮麗。本港近年大力發展郵輪旅遊、深度旅遊，希望以多元化策略，吸引更多高增值遊客，並產生漣漪效應，提振各行各業。要吸引多元化、高增值的遊客，提供豐富優質的旅遊產品是關鍵。「香港美酒佳餚巡禮」、「維港海上大巡遊」已作出良好示範，值得認真總結經驗，持續優化、充分借鑒。

本港旅遊資源豐厚，西九文化區、啟德體育園都是世界級的文旅場館，維港夜景更被譽為「世界三大夜景」之一。善於應變、轉危為機，是香港精神的核心要素之一。特區政府、旅遊業界銳意改革，主動作為，堅持靈活應變、把握機遇，用好用足本港旅遊資源，推動有特色、具吸引力的盛事活動，保持盛事浪接浪，區區日夜都繽紛，「東方之珠」風采更勝往昔。

譯文

Fusing Eastern and Western Cultures to Create Signature Events

Recently, two major outdoor events held at the Central Harbourfront — the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival and the Water Parade at Victoria Harbour — have drawn enthusiastic crowds of locals and tourists alike, with throngs of visitors and a vibrant atmosphere.

The successful staging of these two events demonstrates that by making good use of Hong Kong's world-class tourism assets and highlighting its unique blend of Eastern and Western cultures alongside its diversity and inclusivity, we can, with creativity and thoughtful planning, develop a thriving "mega event economy" that is both sustainable and engaging. This can achieve a win-win outcome: attracting high-end visitors, boosting consumption, and promoting premium products and services across various sectors. The success of these events offers valuable experience that can be replicated and expanded, helping to realise the vision of "events in every district, vibrancy day and night," and further enhancing Hong Kong's reputation as a tourism capital and culinary paradise.

In recent years, Hong Kong's tourism industry has faced challenges due to slower-than-expected global economic recovery and shifts in visitor spending patterns, including a decline in overnight stays and spending power. The recent success of these two events, both in terms of attendance and commercial outcomes, offers a promising sign of revitalisation for the sector. First, the Central Harbourfront enjoys world-class views of Victoria Harbour, which in itself is a major draw, enabling events held here to attract large numbers of tourists and locals.

Second, both events adhered to the principle of blending Chinese and international elements. The "Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival" brought together fine wines and cuisines from 31 countries and regions worldwide; the "Water Parade at Victoria Harbour" featured a collection of major global IPs, including Doraemon, KAWS & Sesame Street, McDonald's Grimace, and a giant inflatable sculpture of the wildly popular Pop Mart character LABUBU at sea, alongside themed markets for hot IPs such as K-pop Demon Hunters, Stranger Things, Snoopy and the Peanuts Family. Visitors could savour Chinese and international wines and delicacies while taking photos with the world's most famous inflatable IP sculptures — all in one place — fully embodying Hong Kong's fusion of Eastern and Western cultures and offering a travel experience that other cities would find hard to replicate.

Moreover, the food, beverages, and IPs featured in these events were carefully curated for quality, novelty, and representativeness. Industry insiders noted that the offerings were particularly appealing to younger generations. Despite the hot weather yesterday, public enthusiasm remained high. Exhibitors at the Wine & Dine Festival reported strong business, with peak crowds throughout the day and moments of overwhelming demand — clear evidence of the event's effectiveness.

Both the Wine & Dine Festival and the Water Parade at Victoria Harbour served as excellent platforms for promotion. With a steady stream of visitors, the featured products and IPs gained popularity and positive word-of-mouth, boosting brand visibility and expanding market opportunities. The influx of visitors also benefited nearby shopping centres and restaurants in the Central Harbourfront area.

These outcomes show that with adaptability and innovation, the future of Hong Kong's tourism industry remains bright. In recent years, the city has actively developed cruise tourism and in-depth travel experiences, aiming to attract more high-value visitors through diversified strategies that create ripple effects across industries. To attract a diverse and high-spending tourist base, offering rich and high-quality travel products is key. The Wine & Dine Festival and Water Parade at Victoria Harbour have set a strong example, and their success merits careful review and continuous refinement.

Hong Kong is rich in tourism resources. The West Kowloon Cultural District and Kai Tak Sports Park are world-class cultural and leisure venues, and the night view of Victoria Harbour is hailed as one of the "Top Three Night Views in the World." The ability to adapt and turn challenges into opportunities is a core element of the Hong Kong spirit. With the Government and the tourism sector committed to reform and proactive engagement, and by fully leveraging Hong Kong's tourism assets, we can continue to deliver distinctive and attractive mega events. With a steady stream of exciting happenings across districts and around the clock, the "Pearl of the Orient" will shine brighter than ever.

●Tiffany