The Magic of Hong Kong
August 29, 2008
Feng shui, tai chi and fabulous feasts await incentive groups
By Harriet Edleson
Tiny Hong Kong—426 square miles or six times the size of Washington, D.C.—has been a much sought-after incentive trip for more than 25 years. And while it's still hot, it faces the challenge of newer Beijing and Shanghai, as well as Bangkok and other Asian destinations, as its competitors.
The newest twist for Hong Kong is to pair it with Beijing or Shanghai, or both, and make the incentive a power-packed double-header or even a triple play, adding Bangkok to the mix. However, stand-alone Hong Kong incentives command their share of the spotlight.
"In the early- to mid-Eighties Hong Kong really boomed," says Los Angeles–based James LaValle, manager, conventions, exhibitions and corporate events, for the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). "Now, we don't get as many mono-destination incentives." He estimates that 50 percent are Hong Kong only; the other half, combinations. "Very popular are Beijing/Hong Kong and Bangkok/Hong Kong, he says.
Another way Hong Kong incentives have evolved is that today they are more than simply "shop and dine," says LaValle. Incentive travelers, like all globe-trotters, are taking more time to expose themselves to the culture of a destination, to learn more about its intricacies. "It's a real immersion into the stories and legends of the place."
Typically, single-destination incentives to Hong Kong are four to five nights, whereas multi-destination incentives might do three nights Hong Kong and three nights Beijing. Certainly, variations abound. Incentives are likely to include themes, for example, "living healthy the Chinese way," with perhaps a tai chi class in the park, a tea appreciation session or tasting, a visit to a Chinese apothecary and a class in feng shui. "This is a bit of an immersion into the Chinese lifestyle," says LaValle. "These little cultural programs are really growing. [Incentive travel is] not just about luxury and pampering. We always have to re-imagine our product to meet the trends."
Because world-renowned shopping is everywhere, Hong Kong has to differentiate itself with antique treasure hunting. Art and home furnishings stores dot the hilly streets in the central district of Hong Kong. A great painting or carved chest that will evoke memories from the trip is likely to intrigue travelers enough for them to want to bring one home. Another activity can be a visit to a Hong Kong tailor or jeweler.
 Typical Costs
Incentive travel to Hong Kong is not inexpensive. Budget depends on the season, length of program, level of hotel and the details of the program, says Rochester, N.Y.–based Lynda Obront, director of sales, North America, for Tour East Inc., a destination management company.
An incentive trip including Hong Kong can cost as much as $5,000 per person plus air from the U.S. Consider the May 2008 trip a pharmaceutical company planned for 42 people, including spouses, embarking from LAX and JFK. The five-night itinerary featured three nights in Hong Kong and two in Shanghai. Cost of air travel within Asia was included in the package price. The incentive brought travelers first to Hong Kong where highlights included a visit to Lama Island on the first night, participation in a feng shui demonstration and tea appreciation ceremony the second night, and a farewell dinner dine-around, followed by a laser light show in Hong Kong Harbour, where participants sipped cocktails and took in the spectacular view. Next, it was on to Shanghai.
Another example is a three-night Hong Kong program beginning at $2,000 per person plus air. The cost increases if alcohol is included in the package price. Other incentive trips can be arranged for $550 to $650 per person per night plus air.
To really personalize the trip, Obront helps companies select pillow gifts for each participant. "You can't overlook these," she says. It can be something as simple as a pair of chopsticks and a silk place mat with a company logo on it for $3 per person or a more elaborate choice such as a pewter scrapbook for $75 per person. Each decision along the way in the planning determines the final budget.
Clearly, the reasons companies choose Hong Kong as an incentive reward rest in the allure of the destination itself. Though the former British Crown Colony was handed back to China in 1997, it has not lost its luster. "Hong Kong conjures up images of intrigue that can be very motivational," says HKTB's LaValle. "You don't have to work so hard to communicate the value. The motivational value of Hong Kong is built in."
In addition, for an international destination, though far-flung, it's easy to reach with numerous nonstop flights (15/ hours from New York; 13/ hours from the West Coast), though roughly twice the travel time to Western Europe. "It's the old saying: 'three meals, two movies and a nap,'" says LaValle.
Indeed, the major hurdle for selling Hong Kong as an incentive is the competition from its Asian neighbors. Once the one and only major destination in Asia, Hong Kong now competes head-to-head with Beijing, Shanghai and Bangkok. "There's so much competition," says Jane Schuldt, president of World Marketing Group, a sales and marketing representation company based in Minneapolis. "That's the challenge. Now all the eyes are on China. It's about breaking through all that other noise."
 Another challenge: At times, people insist on certain venues that are not large enough for their group, so they sometimes have to go in shifts. Finally, there's the misconception that travelers will "starve" in Asia, says Schuldt. Many are just not aware of the myriad fine-cuisine options. That, too, is easily overcome. Asian, continental, and gourmet international cuisine of all types abound. "The dining is still the dining and the dining is still spectacular," she says.
Once you arrive, Hong Kong is easy to navigate. The hotels, the cuisine, the harbor (Hong Kong means "fragrant harbor," where aromatic wood products and fragrant incense were once traded), and the fact that it is a collection of 262 islands along with the Kowloon Peninsula in the South China Sea, spell exotic. The narrow body of water that separates Hong Kong Island from the Kowloon Peninsula is one of the greatest attractions—Victoria Harbour, one of the deepest natural maritime ports in the world. "The harbor is everything in Hong Kong, and the bustling streets, the mysterious alleys," says Tour East's Obront. "You're in the pulse of a business center, globally. It's a city of great contrasts, and you'll really see it from Victoria Peak, along with the congestion of a cityscape."
Despite the challenges, Hong Kong continues to attract incentive groups, and is especially interesting to those going to Asia for the first time. "The attraction of Hong Kong is just saying the word," says Tour East's Obront. "It's the magic of it, the magic of the harbor."
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