2019年CRI Hong Kong protests impact local tourism market

 

With images of protesters shutting Hong Kong airport seen around the world, tourist arrivals in the city have plummeted¹.

Our reporter Eugene Benson takes a closer look at the impact the ongoing² protests are having on Hong Kong's tourism market.

Hong Kong is a tourist's paradise. It's a city famous for world-class shopping, buzzing nightlife and fabulous³ restaurants -- It also has a reputation for safety.

But for the last three months, it hasn't felt like that.

Since June, Hong Kong has been in turmoil⁴. Its streets have been flooded with anti-government protesters - and violence and chaos⁵ have followed.

Its public transport systems have been paralysed, and its airport -- one of the biggest aviation hubs in the world -- has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights.

Perhaps none of Hong Kong's core business sectors⁶ has been harder than tourism, an industry that employs more than a quarter million people. Some of the statistics are staggering:

- Tourist arrivals in Hong Kong are down at least 30% since June with the number expected to increase

- Meanwhile, tourist arrivals from Chinese mainland have dropped by nearly 50% in August.

Michael Tsang, founder⁷ of Hong Kong Free Tours, says his business has taken a hit.

"So for the months of June and July business is actually flat compared to last year, but for August business is down around 20-30 percent but compared to some of our friends in the industry where they serve more tourists, those players in the market are probably down I would say 70 to even 90 per cent."

And what changes are you making to adapt?

"Well because of the type of tour we do, we are actually here to educate people more, so we find this time is even more important to tell our guests the story of what has happened to Hong Kong. So because of that even more we feel we have to invest in the future of our business. "

Hong Kong is of course famous for its vibrant⁸ and exciting night life with a seemingly endless supply of bars and restaurants which are huge drivers of the local economy. Live music and performance, too, are synonymous with Hong Kong.

Formally LA-based performer Nicole Claspell who after a national tour in the USA and stints⁹ in Las Vegas is performing at a five star hotel in the heart of central Hong Kong.

"There has been a noticeable drop off in patronage¹⁰ and people coming out and hotel occupancy I think all around Hong Kong has been down 50 per cent even as low as down to 30 percent occupancy this past week, so there will be times midweek and even on weekends when we are expecting our biggest crowds where I'll be singing for maybe a handful of people maybe four or five people."

Tourism generates $17 billion US for Hong Kong's GDP, if the protests and unrest continues there's no question that figure will drop.

1 plummeted   

v.垂直落下，骤然跌落( plummet的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Share prices plummeted to an all-time low. 股票价格暴跌到历史最低点。
• A plane plummeted to earth. 一架飞机一头栽向地面。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 fabulous   

adj.极好的；极为巨大的；寓言中的，传说中的

参考例句：

• We had a fabulous time at the party.我们在晚会上玩得很痛快。
• This is a fabulous sum of money.这是一笔巨款。

4 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

5 chaos   

n.混乱，无秩序

参考例句：

• After the failure of electricity supply the city was in chaos.停电后，城市一片混乱。
• The typhoon left chaos behind it.台风后一片混乱。

6 sectors   

n.部门( sector的名词复数 )；领域；防御地区；扇形

参考例句：

• Berlin was divided into four sectors after the war. 战后柏林分成了4 个区。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Industry and agriculture are the two important sectors of the national economy. 工业和农业是国民经济的两个重要部门。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

7 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

8 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

9 stints   

n.定额工作( stint的名词复数 )；定量；限额；慷慨地做某事

参考例句：

• He stints himself in [of] sleep. 他节制睡眠。 来自辞典例句
• She never stints herself of money to buy books for her children. 她从不吝惜掏钱让子女们买书。 来自互联网

10 patronage   

n.赞助，支援，援助；光顾，捧场

参考例句：

• Though it was not yet noon,there was considerable patronage.虽然时间未到中午，店中已有许多顾客惠顾。
• I am sorry to say that my patronage ends with this.很抱歉，我的赞助只能到此为止。