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Learn more to adapt to Chinese market: HK Disneyland
(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-02-16 16:28
As a newcomer, Hong Kong Disneyland still has a lot to learn to acclimatize
itself to the Chinese market after the unpleasant ticketing chaos during the
Chinese New Year, the theme park's executive vice president Bill Earnest
admitted in an exclusive interview with Xinhua Wednesday.
Visitors take photos in front of
a cartoon Mickey Mouse in Hong Kong disneyland in the undated photo.
[sina] |
Calling it "an unfortunate
incident," Earnest said it was not what Disneyland about and "we make sure we
will not repeat that next year."
For two days continuously, February 1 and 2, hundreds of visitors, mainly
from the Chinese mainland with tickets valid for 180 days, were shut out of the
park, which met the daily maximum reception capability soon after opening.
The incident drew great concern from the Hong Kong government and the public.
The park was heavily criticized for its cultural arrogance and lack of common
knowledge of the Chinese market.
Earnest said the park was longing to adapt itself to the Chinese market. "We
definitely want them (visitors from China's mainland) to come back."
It did have done something in this respect. For example, a good majority of
members here speak three languages- Mandarin, Cantonese and English. Guide maps
and general information are also trilingual. Jungle River Cruise has already
offered trilingual service. It is in the process of adding Chinese subtitles in
screens around The Golden Mickey and Festival of the Lion theaters.
The park's food and beverage team is always ready to listen to guests' ideas.
"I personally spend two weeks traveling throughout Southern China, looking at
different ways food was presented, quality of the food, as well as where the
food come from in our park, to make sure our mainland guests really want to
eat," Earnest said.
What's more, a special team strolled around the park watching guests'
behavior: what they eat, what they play, what they like or dislike. Survey is
another usual conduct in the park. Based on those researches, improvements are
made to the Disneyland products.
But that's not enough. "To China, and to the specific market of Hong Kong, we
have more to learn," Earnest said.
After the ticket incident, Hong Kong Disneyland executives have met with
their Travel Industry Advisory Board, leaders of the Travel Industry Council,
inbound operators and individual wholesalers in Hong Kong and the Chinese
mainland to seek their counsel.
In response to the overwhelming demand, the park is exploring the option of
adding more Special Days, which require date- specific tickets, for expected
high-demand periods, such as the upcoming Golden Week in May.
The park also promised to refund tickets for those shutouts in the incident
who could not return to the park during the six-month validity period.
Having 12-year working experience in Disneyland, Earnest admitted the current
work is challenging. China is a huge market beyond comparison, he said. "This is
a chance to share stories of Disney and bring the Disney magic to families in
this part of the world, which for me, it is a highest compliment that I can give
to my career."
He tried to learn Cantonese in the last year and half, "but I'm not doing
very well," he laughed. "I'm a bit of an adventurer. To me, new challenges, new
experiences."
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