A NEW LOGO FOR THE HONG KONG TOURISM BOARD - ‘YOUR CHOICE’

Why is the Hong Kong Tourist Association changing its name?

It is not simply a name change, but a reconstitution by statute under a new structure. When the Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) was established by Government Ordinance in 1957, there were around 50,000 visitors a year to Hong Kong and tourism was a very different business. Today, there are more than 13 million visitors a year, generating over HK$60 billion in annual revenue and making Hong Kong the single most popular destination in Asia. The HKTA’s constitution and structure, however, is laid down by Ordinance and has not been readily adaptable to such changing times.

These issues have now been addressed by the Hong Kong Tourist Association (Amendment) Bill, endorsed by the Legislative Council on 14 March. The HKTA will no longer operate as an organisation of Members, but as a body dedicated to promoting globally the interests of Hong Kong’s entire tourism sector which, directly or indirectly, employs a tenth of the SAR’s workforce. The changes take effect from 1 April 2001, when to reflect its new role and structure, the HKTA will also be renamed the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

Why is a new logo needed?

The logo is an important element of the image promoted by Hong Kong’s tourism body overseas and is itself stipulated by the 1957 Ordinance – indeed, misusing it is an offence punishable by a fine of up to HK$50,000! This has not prevented the logo from being regularly updated over the years, by a series of legislative amendments, to ensure that the image projected by the HKTA can change with the times. The attached sheet shows how the logo has evolved from the old-fashioned, colonial harbour image of 1957 to the well-known “red junk” logo of today. The junk itself, though, has been an integral part of the logo since 1972. As Hong Kong’s tourism body enters a new era, it is both timely and cost-effective for a further update to made at the same time.

Why has the red junk been retained? Isn’t it time this old image was “junked”?

A number of people have noted that the junk is a long-gone symbol of Hong Kong which has little relevance today, and the Board very carefully considered this view. In the end, it was agreed that the key criterion was how the symbol of Hong Kong’s tourism marketing body was perceived by potential visitors around the world – and the feedback from the HKTA’s worldwide offices, industry contacts and visitors themselves was strongly in favour of retaining the junk. Docking the red junk, it was felt, would be wasting a priceless asset that the HKTA has built up over many years.

How was the new logo selected?

Tourism affects everyone in Hong Kong, so the HKTA wanted as broad a section of the community as possible to have a say in selecting the new logo. An initial selection of several dozen designs was reduced to a shortlist of two, both featuring more modern representations of the red junk that convey a sense of forward movement while emphasising Hong Kong’s fusion of modern and traditional cultures. Both also met the objectives of being easily recognised, and of being synonymous with Hong Kong as a destination. Views on the final selection were canvassed through surveys and interviews with 1,248 Government officials, legislators, the tourism industry, visitors and the community at large. While both logos were well liked, some 852 respondents –almost 70% – voted in favour of the chosen version. We can truly say it is YOUR CHOICE.