Why isn’t Hong Kong “The Event Capital of Asia”?

An increasing number of articles have been appearing in the papers lately criticizing the Hong Kong Government for their failings when it comes to facilitating special events in the SAR…

First the SCMP had the story of “event entrepreneurs taking their events to other cities” because of red tape and hassle getting liquor licenses and other permits from the police. Then The Standard ran the story of the harbourfestish Summer Splash at Asia World Arena criticizing the low turnout… I myself was asked by a publication what I thought of the idea to solve the al-fresco dining fiasco by setting up a government department to handle “special permission bookings”, to which I recoiled in horror “Oh please don’t get the government involved! It would be a nightmare”…

It seems the general consensus is the Mandarins invented bureaucracy then Hong Kong perfected it…

Yet it seems the government really tries hard to get it right (and sometime actually does, the 8pm “Light up the Harbor” really is pretty cool). They introduced the “Mega Event Fund” for non profits to create events. They set up MEHK (Meetings Events Hong Kong) who so far are really trying hard (OK bit of a honeymoon period still after all they are part of HKTB). The Gov actually put up the money for Harbor Fest and Summer Splash which were both great ideas just badly executed. The more I look at it seems that the guys (ladies, persons policy makers) actually have the right idea and are doing something right. It is when it filters down that something goes awry. Somewhere in the machinery the cogs spin backwards creating an end product that is very often faulty.

So I get to thinking.. (I know ‘dangerous, smell burning’ shut him up quick before he gets us all killed)..

What happens along the way to these great ideas? Why isn’t HK an event capital?

Why is it when Tourist Board or the other defacto government institutions like the Jockey Club or big land owners call up asking for a quote..Why do I cringe and desperately hope I can say I am busy that day?

Here goes.. it is attitude. The attitude is created by the education system.

What? Seriously the Hong Kong education system.. I know WTF?? No really read me out…

Most of the key decision makers in business and government are overseas educated. They have the luxury of small ratio classes plus the experience of broader horizons. Most/ Many of the people directly organizing the events in Hong Kong are Hong Kong people born and raised most gone through the Hong Kong school system. Now, I know they are changing the system and trying to bring in creative thinking etc… I am not attacking just sayin.. – 40 something kids in a class, having to divide classes into morning or afternoon school, the teacher having to use a megaphone to be heard.. All this and worse.

The only way to teach in those circumstances is by rote (1+1 is 2 2+2 is 4, here read this test tomorrow). Also the way the pressure is put on kids to perform well on test (highest suicide rate for students in the world) “no you can’t be an artist be a doctor, make good money”… No wonder the everyday managers and secretaries labored with putting on an event won’t step out of line and constantly worry what they are doing is too extreme. No wonder all they think about is ‘let’s do something safe’ ‘lets do the same as last year’ …

No for Hong Kong to become an event capital the boys upstairs need to get the rest of the crew onboard. Let them know it’s OK to take risks. Give the crew the enthusiasm that they have to take things further. Make it exciting, different is good. When someone has an idea rather than shoot it down with “too difficult” or “somebody might complain” look for options to limit the risk and try to make it easy for the event to grow. Use the “Yes.. And” theory ( yes that’s great you could also..:)

Saying that it doesn’t have to be limited to events…