Letters | To be a Muslim tourist draw, Hong Kong could be more halal-friendly

Readers discuss how the city can attract tourists from the Muslim world, lure expats back from the Middle East, and secure its status as a shipping hub

Hong Kong economy

Letters

Published: 11:30am, 28 Dec 2023

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I refer to the letter, “Time to build up Hong Kong brand in Middle East” (December 10), and your correspondent’s call for Hong Kong officials to do more to attract tourists and investors from the Middle East.

It is commendable to see Hong Kong actively developing partnerships with countries in the Middle East to make its economy more resilient. However, to truly attract tourists and investors from Arab and Islamic countries, Hong Kong must prioritise the establishment of halal-friendly infrastructure.

Hong Kong lags behind in this regard. There is just one halal restaurant at the airport and while there are dozens more in the city, the number is nowhere near sufficient. Even major fast food chains, such as KFC, only offer a limited menu of halal food.

For a city that prides itself on being Asia’s World City, these issues should have been addressed long ago. How does Hong Kong plan to attract Muslim visitors without offering suitable meal options?

There is a misconception in Hong Kong that if food does not contain pork, then it is halal. This lack of understanding further highlights the need for Hong Kong to prioritise the development of halal-friendly infrastructure to cater to Muslim visitors.

Singapore serves as a successful model in this respect. The city state has excelled in creating a halal-friendly environment, and Hong Kong would benefit from learning from their experience. Events like our Wine and Dine Festival, Clockenflap, Night Vibes Hong Kong and the recently rejuvenated Temple Street night market will not attract Muslim visitors without catering to their needs.

Furthermore, the lack of awareness of Hong Kong in Muslim countries can also be attributed to the city’s failure to make cultural and religious accommodations. As a result, visitors from these countries often choose destinations like Turkey, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia instead.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board should be entrusted with developing a comprehensive plan to attract Muslim tourists, showcasing that Hong Kong is not only open to the Western world but also to the Muslim world. This will not only enhance the city’s reputation but also contribute to its economic growth and strengthen its partnerships with Muslim-majority nations.

Ilnur Minakhmetov, Jordan

An attractive tax rate would bring expats back

It’s the end of 2023, which has been a bad year for Hong Kong. We can’t deny it, but we also can’t just accept it. We have to reposition ourselves.

Our government has been talking about blending Hong Kong into the Greater Bay Area, but we are seeing people, not businesses, blending in. We are also talking about Hong Kong participating more in the Belt and Road Initiative but the Saudis and Emiratis are building their own answers to Hong Kong and probably don’t need us.

Expatriates moved to Singapore during the pandemic but found it too expensive. Instead of coming back to Hong Kong, however, many have headed for the Middle East, where there is Russian money for the finance guys to handle. So our mid- to high-end properties once again rely on mainland buyers. But they will still return to Shenzhen at weekends.

Why not fix a standard income tax rate for the expats who are not yet permanent residents, at, say, 7 per cent? This would convince some, if not a big number, to request relocation back to Hong Kong, helping us return to our glory days as a truly global city. A brighter 2024 is within reach, with some changes.

Joseph Chan, chairman, Silk Road Economic Development Research Centre

Harbour protection matters for the city’s shipping hub dreams

We refer to the front-page article, “HK aims to lift status as hub for shipping” (December 21), regarding the plan to develop the city into a leading maritime centre.

Our society would like to remind the government of the vital contributions of the Protection of the Harbour Ordinance, which saved Kowloon Bay from reclamation, consequently allowing the construction of Kai Tak Cruise Terminal and the retention of Kai Tak Nullah.

The harbour was also saved from the Green Island reclamation project which would have blocked the Sulphur Channel and constricted the western shipping entrance into Victoria Harbour.

In total, the ordinance has saved the harbour from government plans to reclaim about 600 hectares from it. These would have reduced the harbour to a narrow sea channel, and made it impossible to construct the promenades which our community now enjoys.

Finally, the government’s aspirations and enlightened plans for the harbour mentioned in the article would have been impossible.

Hence, instead of proposing a watering down of the ordinance, the current government should support it such that future generations of Hong Kong will still have a harbour to enjoy.

Given the vital importance of the harbour and the variability of government policies, protection of the harbour by the law courts is essential.

The government should not denigrate the ordinance which has been so useful and beneficial to the Hong Kong community.

Winston Chu Ka-sun, vice-chairman, Society for Protection of the Harbour