Cathay scandal highlights a deep Hong Kong problem
John Hanzhang Ye says city must address the roots of discrimination against mainlanders
The recent Cathay Pacific discrimination scandal has cast doubt on the local government’s “Hello Hong Kong” campaign. After a social media post in which a Mandarinspeaking passenger accused cabin crew of mocking passengers’ English-language abilities on a flight from Chengdu to Hong Kong went viral on the mainland, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, the People’s Daily and Xinhua News Agency condemned the discrimination and demanded the airline deal seriously with the issue.
Though Cathay Pacific quickly fired the attendants and its CEO apologised in Mandarin, the incident has cast a shadow on Hong Kong’s global public relations campaign and the company’s reputation.
In 2019, Cathay Pacific faced a backlash from the mainland over some employees’ support of the anti-government protests. Then, during the Covid-19 pandemic, the airline had to suspend most of its flights and has only recently begun rebuilding its route network.
As part of the government’s campaign to boost tourism, Cathay Pacific has rolled out large ticket giveaways, including one targeted at the Greater Bay Area. Travellers who were meant to happily fly to Hong Kong and spend their time and money here now might start to wonder if they will face the same discrimination.
This is far from the first time that tourism has been a source of tension between Hongkongers and visitors from the mainland. Not long after the border between the Hong Kong and the mainland reopened, residents of To Kwa Wan and other areas started complaining about the crowds of tourists, visitors from the mainland eating takeaway meals in the street and the disruption caused by tour buses.
The authorities have acted to try to address the issue of overcrowding in certain districts, but it is likely that similar problems will continue to present themselves in the city’s tourist hotspots.
Discrimination of the sort on display on the Cathay Pacific flight from Chengdu must not be tolerated, particularly in a global city that wants to present itself as being open to visitors from anywhere in the world. Showing respect and providing appropriate assistance to people from different cultures is essential to the success of the city’s tourism industry.
However, as the authorities are well aware, negative sentiment towards people from the mainland has long existed in Hong Kong. Legal action might provide a temporary solution, but it will not tackle the root of the problem. It is important that the Hong Kong authorities and Cathay Pacific’s management recognise this fact.
One of the biggest factors is the problem of language. Mandarin speakers have complained of facing discrimination in Hong Kong in the past. There are often reports of conflicts arising from miscommunication between mainland customers and local businesses because of language differences.
The esteem in which Hongkongers’ hold the English language is understandable given Hong Kong’s history and its long-standing orientation towards the English-speaking world.
However, according to statistics from the Tourism Board, visitors from the mainland represented 80 per cent of all arrivals to Hong Kong in March. In comparison, visitors from the US, Canada, the UK and Australia accounted for only about 3 per cent, while those from Taiwan, Macau, South Asia and Southeast Asia combined made up 12 per cent. This visitor composition poses challenges for those in the tourism industry who lack the training needed to serve mainland tourists.
Hong Kong’s tourism sector can no longer afford to focus on the English-speaking world, hard as that might be for some people to accept. The predominant customer groups have changed for much of the service industry, so businesses must take appropriate steps to adapt to that change.
Conflict between Hongkongers and mainland tourists can also arise from an inability to manage tourists’ expectations. While local tourism authorities maintain the city welcomes mainland visitors with open arms, Hong Kong’s image as a shoppers’ paradise has largely remained unchanged for decades.
The Hong Kong government’s efforts at image-building often lack appreciation for local culture. Ignoring the uniqueness of Cantonese culture means visitors are unaware of the importance of the Cantonese language in daily life here, which increases chances for conflict.
These problems will persist unless flexible measures are taken to deal with them. Negative sentiment towards mainland visitors existed before the 2019 protests and has not gone away with the end of the social unrest. Legal measures are only useful when both parties recognise what amounts to wrongdoing.
Even now, there are people in Hong Kong who are likely to see the actions taken in the aftermath of the Cathay Pacific scandal as further oppression. These sentiments have their roots in the city’s continuing discontent. As Xia Baolong, the director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, said last month, deeper investigation is needed to fix the issues at the heart of Hong Kong society.
When incidents of discrimination occur, the Hong Kong authorities must take a more serious but pragmatic approach. They need to listen to those working in the tourism industry, understand the difficulties they face and deal with the underlying problems to prevent further tension between Hongkongers and mainland visitors.
The incident has cast a shadow on Hong Kong’s global public relations campaign