香港将旅游业复兴的重心放在通过世界级演出和活动给远近游客留下深刻印象的雄心勃勃的策略上。
Hong Kong has staked much of its tourism revival on an ambitious strategy of impressing visitors from near and far with world-class shows and events.
最近的香港环岛骑行赛本应是其中一场盛事。然而，领航车辆的错误转弯和拥堵的终点使这项旗舰体育赛事变成了警示故事。挫折令人尴尬，但教训深刻。在追逐大型赛事经济的过程中，成功建立在良好的准备和执行之上。
The recent Hong Kong Cyclothon was meant to be one of those spectacles. Regrettably, a wrong turn by a lead vehicle and a congested finish turned the flagship sporting event into a cautionary tale. The setback is embarrassing and the lesson is telling. In the pursuit of the mega-events economy, success is built on good preparation and execution.
由新鸿基地产赞助的骑行节今年回归，并推出了扩展后的“五隧三桥”路线，吸引了来自21个国家和地区的6000多名参与者。骑行者被承诺将有难得的机会穿越中九龙干线，并骑行经过青马、汀九和石壁等标志性桥梁。对于希望将自己打造为“亚洲大型赛事之都”的城市而言，该节日可以说是城市活力、基础设施和组织能力的最具象征性展示。
The cycling festival sponsored by Sun Hung Kai Properties returned this year with an expanded “five tunnels, three bridges” route, drawing more than 6,000 participants from 21 countries and territories. Riders were promised a rare opportunity to cycle through the Central Kowloon Bypass and across landmark crossings including Tsing Ma, Ting Kau and Stonecutters Bridges. For a city seeking to market itself as “Asia’s capital for major events”, the festival was arguably the most symbolic display of the city’s vibrancy, infrastructure and organisational capability.
对部分参与者而言，该活动仍是一次有益的体验。在西九文化区重新设定的起点和终点、延长的赛道以及首次骑行通常禁止自行车通行的道路带来了积极反馈。除了竞技骑行者的公路赛外，今年的赛事还新增了世界大学奖杯，面向全球前100所高校的骑行者开放，包括香港和内地的选手，他们将参加56公里的非竞技骑行。城市在推动体育旅游和骑行运动、培育全球品牌方面正走在正确的道路上。
The event remained a rewarding experience for some participants. The new arrangement to start and finish at the West Kowloon Cultural District, the extended course and the novelty of riding roads normally closed to bicycles drew positive feedback. In addition to the road race for competitive cyclists, a World University Trophy was introduced at this year’s event for cyclists from the top 100 global institutions, including Hong Kong and the mainland, joining the 56km non-race ride. The city is on the right track in promoting sports tourism and cycling and nurturing its global brand.
然而，比赛途中路线改道和混乱的结局引发了一连串批评。事情始于工作人员移动交通锥，为救护车开辟紧急通道，此前两名骑手受伤，导致领航车辆错过了通往汀九桥的原定路线。据社交媒体帖子称，终点附近的一个掉头路段也过于狭窄，造成严重拥堵，迫使许多人下车推着自行车冲过终点线。
Yet the mid-race route diversion and chaotic end unleashed a barrage of criticisms. It began with staff moving traffic cones to create an emergency access route for ambulances after two cyclists were injured, resulting in a lead vehicle missing the original route towards Ting Kau Bridge. A U-turn section near the finish line was also said to be too narrow, causing severe congestion and forcing many to dismount and finish by pushing their bikes across the line, according to social media posts.
负责路线引导的中国香港单车联合会以一道歉设定了正确基调。但这几乎无法平息不满的骑手们，他们将该节庆嘲讽为“推车节”，并将这座城市称为“尴尬失败之都”。在一个单个不满的社交媒体帖子就可能像野火一样传播的时代，这些嘲讽标签对该城市的国际声誉具有高度破坏性。
The Cycling Association of Hong Kong, China, which handled route guidance, set the right tone with an apology. But it did little to appease disgruntled cyclists who ridiculed the festival as a “push-a-thon” and the city as a “capital of embarrassing fails”. In an era where a single disgruntled social media post can spread like wildfire, the mocking labels are highly damaging to the city’s international reputation.
或许，仅凭一次失误就评判香港的成功是不公平的。该城市拥有举办大型活动的悠久且大多成功的记录，其规模之大是少数地方能比拟的。香港马拉松每年将数万名跑者带上街头。香港七人板球赛仍然是世界上最具辨识度的橄榄球节庆之一，将顶级体育运动与独特的狂欢氛围相结合。同样，巴塞尔艺术展、美食酒展、大型烟花表演和国际音乐会都理所当然地强化了该城市作为大型活动之都的资质。
Arguably, it is unfair to judge Hong Kong’s success by a single mishap. The city has a long and largely successful record of hosting events on a scale few places can match. The Hong Kong Marathon brings tens of thousands of runners through the streets each year. The Hong Kong Sevens remains one of the world’s most recognisable rugby festivals, combining elite sport with a distinctive carnival vibe. Similarly, Art Basel, the Wine and Dine Festival, large-scale firework displays and international concerts all justifiably reinforce the city’s credentials as a mega-events capital.
这些场合大多在没有严重事件的情况下进行。正是因此，例外情况才显得尤为突出。当一个城市宣传卓越和独特体验时，公众的期待不能被视为理所当然。两年前，一场由政府补贴的、涉及利昂内尔·梅西的展览足球赛因该阿根廷球员因所谓伤病缺席比赛而演变成一场闹剧，导致主办方在公众压力下撤回其1600万港元的赞助申请并提供退款。环岛单车赛的挫折再次提醒人们，准备和执行的重要性。对于涉及高度复杂后勤的国际性聚会，出错的余地甚小。
Most of these occasions took place without serious incident. That is precisely why the exceptions stand out. When a city advertises excellence and unique experience, public expectations cannot be taken for granted. Two years ago, a government-subsidised exhibition football match involving Lionel Messi turned into a fiasco when the Argentinian player sat out the game due to alleged injury, prompting the organiser to withdraw its HK$16 million sponsorship application and offer refunds amid public pressure. The Cyclothon setback is another reminder of the importance of preparation and execution. For an international gathering involving highly challenging logistics, there is little margin for error.
根据政府数据，今年上半年有175万游客参加了超过130场活动，带来约58亿港元的消费，并为经济贡献了33亿港元。今年下半年还有100场活动安排，包括本月下旬的香港美酒佳肴节。筹备工作至关重要，必须付出一切努力，以确保活动组织周全，参与者能够获得积极体验。
Some 1.75 million visitors were drawn to more than 130 events in the first half of this year, generating around HK$5.8 billion in spending and contributing HK$3.3 billion to the economy, according to the government. Another 100 events are scheduled for the second half of the year, including the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival later this month. The stakes are high and every effort must be made to ensure the events are well organised and participants leave with a positive experience.