Hong Kong Disneyland: Chinese Tourists' Behavior and Disneyland's Internationalization Strategy
HK DISNEYLAND: CHINESE TOURISTS’ BEHAVIOR AND DISNEYLAND’S
INTERNATIONALIZATION STRATEGY1
Mainland China is been making an unprecedented economic growth in the previous three decades, and one of the major contributors is its tourism industry. The mainland Chinese tourists are a major force in the world tourism. Considering its proximity to mainland China,
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has all the benefits to gain with the increasing demand by mainland Chinese for travelling abroad and for shopping. To enhance
Hong Kong as a first choice for mainland Chinese tourists, the Hong Kong government successfully sealed a joint venture with Walt Disney Company for the establishment of a HK
Disneyland Park. However, the Hong Kong government also gave Ocean Park, its local theme park, all the needed support to rejuvenate itself, in the wake of impending competition from Disneyland, and to give a boost to attract more tourists to Hong Kong.
HK Disney Park, owned and managed by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks, an incorporated company owned jointly by Walt Disney Company, and the Hong Kong
Government is located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. It opened for visitors on September 12, 2005, after protracted negotiations, and construction hassles. The Disney
Company dealt with a lot of cultural backlash, and therefore had to incorporate Chinese culture, customs, and traditions in the design and construction of the resort, including following the Feng Shui. The Park was designed to handle 34,000 visitors per day. The park attracted 5.2 million visitors in its first year of opening, compared to its expectations of 5.6 million. In the 2nd year, the visitors fell by 20% to 4 million, and in the 3rd year increased by
8% to 4.5 million visitors in 2007-2008. Since the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005, the theme park has attracted 15 million
INTERNATIONALIZATION STRATEGY1
Mainland China is been making an unprecedented economic growth in the previous three decades, and one of the major contributors is its tourism industry. The mainland Chinese tourists are a major force in the world tourism. Considering its proximity to mainland China,
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) has all the benefits to gain with the increasing demand by mainland Chinese for travelling abroad and for shopping. To enhance
Hong Kong as a first choice for mainland Chinese tourists, the Hong Kong government successfully sealed a joint venture with Walt Disney Company for the establishment of a HK
Disneyland Park. However, the Hong Kong government also gave Ocean Park, its local theme park, all the needed support to rejuvenate itself, in the wake of impending competition from Disneyland, and to give a boost to attract more tourists to Hong Kong.
HK Disney Park, owned and managed by the Hong Kong International Theme Parks, an incorporated company owned jointly by Walt Disney Company, and the Hong Kong
Government is located on reclaimed land in Penny's Bay, Lantau Island. It opened for visitors on September 12, 2005, after protracted negotiations, and construction hassles. The Disney
Company dealt with a lot of cultural backlash, and therefore had to incorporate Chinese culture, customs, and traditions in the design and construction of the resort, including following the Feng Shui. The Park was designed to handle 34,000 visitors per day. The park attracted 5.2 million visitors in its first year of opening, compared to its expectations of 5.6 million. In the 2nd year, the visitors fell by 20% to 4 million, and in the 3rd year increased by
8% to 4.5 million visitors in 2007-2008. Since the opening of Hong Kong Disneyland in 2005, the theme park has attracted 15 million