Lewis T.O. Cheung

Ecotourism service preference and management in Hong Kong

The embryonic development of ecotourism demands proper planning and management to avoid common pitfalls. The recent ecotourism initiative in Hong Kong calls for understanding of the resource base and visitor attitude and expectation. Preferences for ecotourism services were evaluated by 456 questionnaire surveys at four remote ecotourism hot spots. In choosing ecotourism products, respondents preferred good-quality information and tour guides and low-impact activities. Destination selection was influenced by high ecological value and good site management; site facilities and accessibility were accorded less importance. Education and income correlated positively with preference for good-quality guides. Females preferred low-impact activities more than males. Young ecotourists expressed stronger preference for low-impact activities and sites of high ecological value. Elderly respondents were more concerned about good facilities and accessibility. The results were compared and contrasted with cognate overseas studies. A typology of ecotourists classified them into knowledge seeker, leisure traveller and nature lover. A survey of local ecotourism policies and operations highlighted room for improvement. The findings could help to steer the incipient ecotourism development on a sustainable, environmentally friendly and user-relevant track. The urge to increase local and overseas ecotourist patronage could be accompanied by optimising resource usage, minimising deleterious impacts and raising the quality of ecotourists, guides and operators. Relevant policies and strategies could be moulded to match genuine ecotourists’ preferences and fit local natural and socioeconomic conditions.

Seasonal variation in the abundance of marine plastic debris in the estuary of a subtropical macro-scale drainage basin in South China

Marine plastic debris, including microplastic debris (0.315-5mm) and large plastic debris (>5mm), was collected from 25 beaches in Hong Kong during a wet summer season (June-August 2014) and the following dry winter season (January-March 2015). Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to compare the abundances and weights of seven categories of plastic debris between the two seasons. The results showed that the abundances and weights were significantly higher (p<0.05) in the wet season than in the dry season. Additionally, seasonal differences were detected only at the sites that were located on the west coast of Hong Kong and not at the sites on the east coast. These results suggest that the Pearl River Estuary on the west of Hong Kong plays a prominent role in the abundance and distribution of plastic debris in Hong Kong. In addition, the study indicates that estimates of microplastic abundance may be biased if samples are collected only during the wet or dry season if the sample locations are strongly influenced by a seasonal variation of riverine inputs, such as from the Pearl River.

Expectations and willingness-to-pay for ecotourism services in Hong Kong’s conservation areas

The nascent ecotourism market in Hong Kong has much potential for development which could benefit from research findings. This study evaluated the willingness-to-pay (WTP) for ecotourism activities in protected conservation areas and assessed the potential for ecotourism development in Hong Kong. Our questionnaire surveys gathered data from 960 general tourists at four popular tourism hotspots and 456 nature tourists at four ecotourism hotspots. Both groups were willing to pay more for ecotourism activities in the protected areas. Nature tourists would pay 40% more than general tourists and preferred high-quality products. The mean WTP of general tourists and nature tourists was, respectively, HK

Improving visitor management approaches for the changing preferences and behaviours of country park visitors in Hong Kong.

167.3 and HK

Understanding residents’ environmental knowledge in a metropolitan city of Hong Kong, China

223.6 (US

The Effect of Geopark Visitors' Travel Motivations on their Willingness to pay for Accredited Geo-guided Tours

1.00 = HK

The motivations and environmental attitudes of nature-based visitors to protected areas in Hong Kong

7.80) to participate in ecotourism activities, being 39% and 86% above the average price of a general tour (HK

Seismic risk perception in the aftermath of Wenchuan earthquakes in southwestern China

120) offered by travel agents. Younger tourists, better education, and higher income raised the WTP for ecotours. The results were compared and contrasted with cognate overseas studies. The findings highlighted the need to improve service quality, pricing structure, and product differentiation. They allowed ecotourism operators to understand the market, formulate development strategies, and optimize the service to meet divergent and changing client expectations. The income generated by ecotourism services could enhance protected area management and conservation.

Self-determined travel motivations and ecologically responsible attitudes of nature-based visitors to the Ramsar wetland in South China

This study identified the changing preferences of country park visitors in Hong Kong and the potential for such changes to have further negative impacts on the ecologically sensitive areas of country parks. A questionnaire was used to collect feedback from 644 country park visitors to understand their preferences and visitation patterns. To investigate visitors’ preferences and behaviours and to develop better visitor management strategies, the survey data were compared with studies conducted 20 years ago. The results showed that the most popular nature‐based activities of 20 years ago, namely, picnicking and barbecuing, have significantly declined in popularity, while other activities, namely, nature studies and nature photography, have surged in popularity in recent years. These changes in visitor preferences have directly increased the negative impacts of visitors on country parks as they dispersed away from the high intensity recreation zones to the ecological sensitive areas. This emerging group of country park visitors has not been fully considered in the existing approach to visitor management and may irreversibly impact the ecological value of country parks. In this study, visitor management in Hong Kongs country parks was reviewed based on these research findings, and potential improvements were suggested.

Evaluating the impact reduction strategies for the tropical cyclone hazard in Hong Kong

This study aimed to understand the environmental knowledge (EK) of the residents of Hong Kong. A territory-wide survey was administered to investigate the subjective and objective EK of the respondents as well as their means of receiving information about the environment. The results indicated that Hong Kong’s residents have a comparatively low level of EK, with a mean environmental knowledge score of 3.35 out of 8. The youngster (15–24 years old), students, and employed individuals reported more extensive EK than the older and unemployed respondents, thus suggesting that the younger generation and employed individuals have increased opportunities to receive EK through various channels. A weak positive correlation was identified between subjective and objective EK, thus implying that the residents of Hong Kong could not accurately evaluate their own level of EK. The results indicate that traditional media plays a significant role in disseminating EK. Digital media, such as websites and digital social networks, were also determined to be influencing factors in disseminating environmental messages to the younger generation.