For diverting everyone’s attention away from NatSec laws and trials?
Government people were groveling to the Argentine soccer star. A Standard editorial has more on the ‘PR disaster’…
The Inter Miami-vs-Hong Kong match had been treated as a celebrity event rather than a sports one.
The government pledged last month to host more than 80 mega events in the first half of 2024.
Seems the Chief Executive and other ministers deleted their social media posts ‘sharing the joy’ at the Inter Miami-Hong Kong game.
With embarrassing ‘mega events’ apparently scheduled every couple of days, we are guaranteed more tourism angst. The Tourism Board boss laments the lack of attractions apart from bubble tea and pineapple buns. (Do tourists know that there is no pineapple in the scrofulous-looking delicacies?) His suggestions suggest a paucity of ideas: hipster coffee shops and afternoon English tea at hotels. (English? Hasn’t the guy heard about patriotism?)
In Japan, they take a more robust attitude, scrapping cheap transport deals for visitors and putting up signs telling foreign rabble to behave decently. The lesson for Hong Kong: stop trying so hard – it makes you look sad and desperate. (And make the place nice to live in, and the tourists will pour in of their own accord.)
Meanwhile – newspaper owner influenced editorial. Thank heavens that would never happen at Wen Wei Po, the SCMP, Oriental Daily, etc. More on the Jimmy Lai trial here.
I think the Government may need some help with the remaining 79 Mega events: why don’t they call Mike Rowse “to take charge”? Mike has many years of experience organizing taxpayer-funded extravaganzas and turning them into disasters of epic proportions.
“And make the place nice to live in, and the tourists will pour in of their own accord.”
Not to mention stop wiping out any and all vestiges of that “nostalgic” and organically grown HK people learned to love from films and books (accurate or not) and come from afar to see only to be greatly disappointed when everything is pure cultural schtick and government mandated schlock.
No need to put up signs in foreign languages. The rabble in Hong Kong are all locals.
Good man Messi. I wouldn’t want to be a dancing bear for Honkies. No way. Épater les bourgeois. Or les smelly sock proles more like. Ça pue alors.
And the petulance of these people when they don’t get their cake!!!
I’m BACK…
Hurrah!
“Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai’s views played a part in the now-defunct outlet’s editorial decisions, a former senior employee told the national security trial of her ex-boss.”
This is evidence???!!!
Never mind how to attract and cram ever more into 3-4 neighbourhoods on HK Island, I have never understood why the government wants more tourists.
It’s hard to imagine now that we once had the Rolling Stones, Prince, Neil Young and many more playing on the harbour front. It was great and the civil servants were furious!
Paul Lam says there has been no opposition to the proposed ARticle 23. No kidding. People have learned that they will be “monitored” or “jailed” if they do so.
https://twitter.com/Byron_Wan/status/1754038256222752971
Byron Wan
@Byron_Wan
The chilling effect of the national security law in Hong Kong: HKers now avoid answering questions or expressing their views about the imminent legislation of Article 23 — the enactment of local security law — of the Basic Law during a very recent roadside survey conducted by the city’s main TV broadcaster. The survey was aired on Feb 3.