B Sc (H Honou Urs) to Ourism M Ma Anagem Ment
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Tourism Management Project Sheffield Business School BSc (Honours) Tourism Management Title Diversi fication of Hong Kong Tourism – Can Museums become major visitor attractions in Hong Kong? Name SIN Wing Man Student No 91206403 Month Year April 2011 I Tourism Management Project Sheffield Hallam University Sheffield Business School Title Diversification of Hong Kong Tourism – Can Museums become major visitor attractions in Hong Kong? FULL NAME SIN Wing Man STUDENT No 91206403 Supervisor: Monica Law In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management. Month Year April 2011 II Tourism Management Project Acknowledgements The author would like to take this opportunity to thank the following people who have helped her in some way while she was working on this project: Ms. Monica Law, Lecturer, SHAPE (VTC), Hong Kong Mr. Alvis Chiu, Student, Sheffield Hallam University, Hong Kong and specially thank you Ms. Monica Law for her valuable guidance and support of the dissertation throughout the period, her advice and knowledge has helped me to conduct and finish this project. I Tourism Management Project Abstract This study seeks to find out if the museum in Hong Kong can become one of the major visitor attractions with a framework focus on Hong Kong Space Museum which is one of the “Major Museum” suggested by Hong Kong Government. Concluded motivations include to be entertained, to learn, because they are on holidays, as a social family outing, and visiting a particular exhibition are found in literature review and the factors influencing the success of visitor attractions suggested by Swarbrooke (2003) is the background and theory underpinning this study. The factors include the organization and its resources, the product, the market and the management of the attraction. Furthermore, Qualitative approaches, secondary data research and observation, were use to developing a data base for evaluating the potential of Hong Kong Space Museum in being a major visitor attraction Results found that Hong Kong Space Museum had developed an excellent vision and missions statement which can fulfill the criteria of motivations and factors influencing the success of visitor attractions. Also, the financial condition is in a good situation due to the funding from Hong Kong Government. However, the vision and missions is not fully achieved yet. From the findings, significant problems occur in human II Tourism Management Project resources and the product. Staff behavior, attitude and service quality are needed for further improvement. Moreover, the diversification and maintenance of on-site attractions should manage carefully. In the study, the final conclusion is Hong Kong Space Museum cannot be a major visitor attraction right now but it can be if it conducts a comprehensive improvement. III Tourism Management Project Table of Contents Page Acknowledgements I Abstract II Table of Contents IV List of Tables VI List of Appendices VII Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background of Museum in Hong Kong 1 1.2 Objectives and Purpose of Study 4 Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Definition of Visitor Attractions 5 2.2 Definition of Museum 7 2.3 Motivation 8 2.4 Factors Influencing the Success of Visitor Attractions 9 2.4.1 The organization and its resources 9 2.4.2 The product 10 2.4.3 The market 12 2.4.4 The management of the attraction 14 Chapter 3 Methodology 3.1 Research Method 15 3.2 Data Collection 17 3.2.1 Secondary Data 17 IV Tourism Management Project 3.2.2 Observation 19 3.3 Limitations 22 Chapter 4 Findings and Analysis 4.1 Organization and Resources 23 4.2 The product 30 4.3 The market 36 4.4 The management of the attraction 37 Chapter 5 Conclusions and Recommendations 5.1 Conclusions 39 5.2 Recommendations 40 Reference List 42 Appendices 48 V Tourism Management Project List of Tables Page Table 2.1 - Different Categories of Attractions 6 Table 3.1 - Observation Check List 20 Table 4.1 – Vision, Mission and Values of Hong Kong Space 23 Museum Table 4.2 - Hong Kong Space Museum (Admission Fees) 26 Table 4.3 - Hong Kong Space Museum, Financial Figures for 27 2009 / 2010 (Expenditure) Table 4.4 - Hong Kong Space Museum, Financial Figures for 27 2009 / 2010 (Revenue) Table 4.5 - Detail Findings of Human Resources 28 Table 4.6 - Attractions’ languages 32 VI Tourism Management Project List of Appendices Page Appendix 1 – Lesson Information 48 Appendix 2 – Observation Result 49 VII Tourism Management Project Chapter 1 Introduction 1.1 Background of Museum in Hong Kong Most of the museums in Hong Kong are government owned and managed by Leisure and Cultural Service Department (LCSD); others are manage by different private organizations. Cheng and Kwong (1992) said that unlike countries with a long indigenous cultural heritage that facilitates the development of an integrated and evolving museum culture, the short history of Hong Kong society poses seemingly insurmountable constraints for the development of an appreciable museum culture. Fortunately, under the management of the LCSD, museums acquire, conserve, research on, exhibit and communicate for the purposes of study, education and enjoyment, material evidence of people and their environment. Museum collections form a composite picture of our cultural, historical and natural heritage, and the preservation of such collections represents a long-term commitment to existing and future generations. Moreover, LCSD stated in their website that large-scale thematic exhibitions are held every year to add variety to the permanent exhibitions with the ultimate goal to attract more people to visit museums. 1 Tourism Management Project There are total 27 museums in Hong Kong provides fascinating insights into arts, history, heritage, antiquities, film, medical sciences, housing, police and much more. There are also museums of science, space, and such special interest subjects as tea ware. Beside of those, some of them are in territory's colourful history and development, and includes one dedicated to one-time resident and China revolutionary Dr Sun Yat-sen. In addition, seven museums were highlighted as "Major Museum" which is highly promoted by Hong Kong Tourism Broad (HKTB). They include Dr Sun Yat-sen Museum; Hong Kong Heritage Museum; Hong Kong Museum of Art; Hong Kong Museum of Coastal Defence; Hong Kong Museum of History; Hong Kong Science Museum; and Hong Kong Space Museum. However, those museum sound diversity and interesting, this is still not a popular visitor attraction in Hong Kong. Moreover, in the “Festive Hong Kong 2010”which is a significant and major promotion organized by Hong Kong Tourism Board that promotes Hong Kong as an exciting year-long sequence of festivals and events, did not 2 Tourism Management Project mention any word on museum in Hong Kong. They are also not very popular for local as a weekend entertainment activity. This project will focus on Hong Kong Space Museum which is one of the “Major Museum” that strategically located at the seaside of Tsim Sha Tsui. Hong Kong Space Museum owns a unique egg-shaped dome that renders the 8000-square-metre museum and being one of the most famous landmarks in Hong Kong. Also, it often launches related activities to public. There is an interest about can Hong Kong Space Museum become a successful visitor attraction. 3 Tourism Management Project 1.2 Objectives and Purpose of Study In the project, the aim is to find out if the museum in Hong Kong can become one of the major visitor attractions. In order to achieve this goal, the following list of objectives is set. 1. To analysis the situation of Hong Kong Space Museum which include those incomes, activities, characteristics and current promotions. 2. To find out factors that stimulates motivations to visit museum. 3. To discuss whether the museum in Hong Kong can become one of the major visitor attractions, for residents and tourists. 4 Tourism Management Project Chapter 2 Literature Review 2.1 Definition of Visitor Attractions Attractions is a complicated terms in the tourism industry. Swarbrooke (2002) believe that there is no generally accepted definition that is relevant to all visitor attractions. Therefore, some definition is found out by few parties. A visitor attraction is a place that primarily, or as a side-effect of its main purpose, caters for visitors, be they tourists, day-trippers or those on an educational mission. The term is now the preferred term in the UK for what was formerly called a tourist attraction (WorldiQ, 2010). Suleberger (2010) states that a tourist attraction is a place of interest where tourists visit, typically for its inherent or exhibited cultural value, historical significance, natural or built beauty, or amusement opportunities. The attraction must be a permanently established excursion destination, a primary purpose of which is to allow public access for entertainment, interest, and education, rather than being primarily a retail outlet, or a venue for sports, film, or theatrical performances. It must be open to the public without prior booking, and should be 5 Tourism Management Project capable of attracting day visitors or tourists (British Tourist Authority, 2000, cited in Swarbrooke, 2002). According to above definitions, a visitor attraction should be a place or venue that provides interest and fun, an opportunity to being educatede and an eenjoyable time. Also, it should be primarily set out as a place to attract visitor from ressident or tourist populations. Table 2.1 – Different Categories of Atttractions On the other hand, attractions can be divided into natural and man-made source. In other categorization refer to table 2.1, it can be divided into five categories including cultural attractions, natural attractions, events, recreation and entertainment attractions. 6 Tourism Management Project 2.2 Definition of Museum The International Council of Museums (ICOM) is the only international organization representing museums and museum professionals (International Council of Museum, 2010).