Lawmakers urge HK to leverage giant pandas to boost economy

Hong Kong has welcomed two giant pandas gifted by the Chinese government, sparking calls for the city's various sectors to leverage the adorable animals to boost the local economy.

Speaking on RTHK’s radio programme “千禧年代” yesterday, Simon Yim, chairman of the organising committee and executive president of the Federation of Hong Kong Sichuan Community Organisations, said as the city now has six pandas, including the new pair gifted by Beijing, there are significant business opportunities and merchants should roll out panda-themed products.

Following the recent birth of Hong Kong's first giant panda twins at Ocean Park, Yim said the park's social media posts about the panda cubs garnered a high engagement rate. Meanwhile, businesses in the city are riding on the panda craze, with some restaurants launching panda-themed menus featuring sweet dumplings resembling pandas and latte art depicting pandas.

Apart from Yim, lawmakers have suggested that the city capitalise on the panda craze. Lawmaker Perry Yiu said the strong public interest in pandas can gradually help establish Hong Kong's giant panda intellectual property (IP), according to Sing Tao Headline. While building an IP takes time, Yiu said the key is to maintain public interest in giant pandas, grow the fan base, and gradually introduce related products.

Another lawmaker Shiu Ka Fai, said businesses should seize the opportunity to develop various panda products as the cubs grow, incorporating elements and backgrounds that are unique to Hong Kong, according to the report.

Sparks social media buzz 

The five-year-old pandas, An An (安安) and Ke Ke (可可), arrived at Ocean Park yesterday and have settled into their new home at the Hong Kong Jockey Club Sichuan Treasures. 

The arrival of the two pandas at Ocean Park Hong Kong has generated widespread excitement among netizens. Media intelligence firm CARMA saw over 13,000 mentions related to Ocean Park, of which 30.2% carried a positive sentiment and 4.6% carried a negative sentiment. There was a significant spike in mentions yesterday, when An An and Ke Ke, the new members of Ocean Park, arrived in Hong Kong, according to CARMA's HK GM Charles Cheung. 

“With pandas being trendy recently, we even saw discussions from netizens considering getting the Ocean Park Annual Pass as a form of support,” Cheung said.

Meanwhile, there were some negative mentions regarding netizens’ concerns about the cost of caring for six pandas, and whether the “investment” can be turned into extra revenue for Ocean Park, according to Cheung. “Moreover, some expressed concerns that with the sudden addition of four new pandas, they question the park’s caring team’s ability to look after six pandas, including two newborns.”

Speaking to the media yesterday, Ocean Park Hong Kong chairman Paulo Pong said the park has enough staff to care for the six giant pandas, with two experts from the China Conservation and Research Centre for Giant Panda also in Hong Kong to assist.

In terms of promotion, Pong said Ocean Park will focus on enhancing the giant panda's image and brand design. This includes exploring collaborations with industries such as jewellery and food, and even launching a cartoon series, all aimed at bringing more creativity and joy to the public.

The transportation of the giant pandas from Sichuan to Ocean Park Hong Kong is fully sponsored and arranged by Cathay Cargo. Meanwhile, the Jockey Club has contributed over HK$121 million to support the expansion and enhancement of the giant panda habitat at Ocean Park.

Promotional initiatives for panda-related activities

Celebrating the arrival of the giant pandas in Hong Kong, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) has teamed up with Ocean Park and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to organise various promotional and marketing activities aimed at generating business opportunities across various sectors and boosting the economy.

For example, the CSTB will soon hold a citywide naming competition, inviting all Hong Kong citizens to suggest meaningful new names for the giant pandas that highlight their characteristics. It will also organise a painting competition, inviting all citizens to depict the adorable nature of the giant pandas through their artwork. 

To provide citizens and visitors with more information, the HKTB has launched a one-stop "Giant panda special page" on its tourism information platform "Discover Hong Kong". The Ocean Park has also established a "Hong Kong Giant Panda Fans Page" to provide updates on the living conditions of the two new giant pandas after their arrival in Hong Kong.

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