<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD height=8></TD></TR><TR><TD class=msgtxt>S'poreans play Santa for HK retailers
Asians form bulk of shoppers as number of Caucasians dip
By Maureen Koh
December 01, 2008 Print Ready Email Article
DESPITE the worldwide economic gloom, retailers in Hong Kong are banking on Singaporeans - and visitors from other Asian countries - for some Christmas cheer.
Click to see larger image
SHOPPERS' PARADISE: Visitor arrivals from Singapore to Hong Kong have increased in October compared to the same period last month. Most are there to shop. Madam Anastasia Felly, an Indonesian who married a HK man, enjoys shopping in HK. TNP PICTURES: MAUREEN KOH
Their hopes are in the hands - or pockets - of tourists such as Mrs Betsy Khaw, 38, and her sister, Miss Judy Ang, 30, who have been there twice in three months.
When this reporter was there two weeks ago, there was Mrs Khaw, shopping at the swanky Pacific Place mall located in the heart of the Hong Kong business district.
The Singaporean architect revealed that she had gone to Hong Kong earlier in September with her sister, a public relations manager. They were there to catch the Summer Temptations sale.
Mrs Khaw told The New Paper on Sunday: 'We would usually visit twice a year, with the second trip in early December so that we can get into the festive Christmas mood.'
But they went again this month, earlier than usual, as Miss Ang would be starting her new job.
She said: 'It gives me the perfect opportunity to renew my wardrobe.'
Mrs Khaw added: 'The designer labels (in Hong Kong) cost less than in Singapore, so that's already a bargain.'
Miss Ang agreed, saying that some of the designs 'don't make it to Singapore until a couple of months later'.
A Hong Kong Tourism Board spokesman said that visitor arrivals from Singapore have shown a 4.2 per cent growth, hitting about 48,500 in October, up from about 46,500 in the same period last year.
The spokesman said: 'Based on visitor profile record, the favourite activity undertaken by Singapore visitors is shopping.
'Shopping is one of the core strengths of Hong Kong, which offers a diverse selection from international brand names, hip and trendy fashion to street market buys.'
However, a boutique manager at a Vivienne Tam outlet in Hong Kong, who wanted to be known only as Doris, believes the numbers have been dropping since the global financial crunch.
Ms Doris, who has been working in the fashion label industry for eight years, said: 'It had taken the industry a while to recover since Sars.
'It has just picked up in the past few years and then now this (the financial crisis).'
Those working in shops along the stretch of Nathan Road, a popular shopping belt, observed that the situation seemed to have worsened in the past two months. And seemingly missing in numbers were visitors from the US, Europe and Australia.
Dwindling takings
Mr Lam Cheuk Kee, 52, who runs a small-scale boutique at Granville in Tsim Sha Tsui, is also worried.
He said: 'In the past, I could easily make a daily average of between HK$6,000 ($1,160) and HK$8,000.
'These days, I can get barely HK$2,000 sometimes.'
Over at Causeway Bay, many visitors from China were spotted in a Milan Station outlet, a popular chain of high-end second-hand shops.
Shop assistant Angela Lok said: 'We used to have local women here, but now, when they come here, it's mainly to sell their stuff.
'Instead, our core customers these days are the Chinese, who cart off the items after paying in cash.'
Ms Guo Yuejie, 30, from Guangzhou, left the shop with three Gucci tote bags and a Hermes handbag. She said: 'I usually come here to buy the famous labels - the prices are a steal for the genuine items.'
Singaporean May Yeong, 27, who was shopping at Times Square, is one of those the Hong Kong tourism office would want to welcome more often.
Miss Yeong said: 'I used to go to Bangkok for the cheap market buys and spas, while Hong Kong is for my 'luxury' shopping. But with the frequent unrest in Bangkok, I come here instead.'
Madam Anastasia Felly, 43, an Indonesian married to a Hong Kong civil servant, has always enjoyed shopping in her husband's homeland during her short stays.
She said: 'I used to travel to Paris and Milan for shopping sprees. But now, each time I'm back (in Hong Kong), I would just pick up whatever I want here.'
Madam Anastasia has another reason for showing such 'support'. She said: 'Need to boost the economy.'
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Asians form bulk of shoppers as number of Caucasians dip
By Maureen Koh
December 01, 2008 Print Ready Email Article
DESPITE the worldwide economic gloom, retailers in Hong Kong are banking on Singaporeans - and visitors from other Asian countries - for some Christmas cheer.
Click to see larger image
SHOPPERS' PARADISE: Visitor arrivals from Singapore to Hong Kong have increased in October compared to the same period last month. Most are there to shop. Madam Anastasia Felly, an Indonesian who married a HK man, enjoys shopping in HK. TNP PICTURES: MAUREEN KOH
Their hopes are in the hands - or pockets - of tourists such as Mrs Betsy Khaw, 38, and her sister, Miss Judy Ang, 30, who have been there twice in three months.
When this reporter was there two weeks ago, there was Mrs Khaw, shopping at the swanky Pacific Place mall located in the heart of the Hong Kong business district.
The Singaporean architect revealed that she had gone to Hong Kong earlier in September with her sister, a public relations manager. They were there to catch the Summer Temptations sale.
Mrs Khaw told The New Paper on Sunday: 'We would usually visit twice a year, with the second trip in early December so that we can get into the festive Christmas mood.'
But they went again this month, earlier than usual, as Miss Ang would be starting her new job.
She said: 'It gives me the perfect opportunity to renew my wardrobe.'
Mrs Khaw added: 'The designer labels (in Hong Kong) cost less than in Singapore, so that's already a bargain.'
Miss Ang agreed, saying that some of the designs 'don't make it to Singapore until a couple of months later'.
A Hong Kong Tourism Board spokesman said that visitor arrivals from Singapore have shown a 4.2 per cent growth, hitting about 48,500 in October, up from about 46,500 in the same period last year.
The spokesman said: 'Based on visitor profile record, the favourite activity undertaken by Singapore visitors is shopping.
'Shopping is one of the core strengths of Hong Kong, which offers a diverse selection from international brand names, hip and trendy fashion to street market buys.'
However, a boutique manager at a Vivienne Tam outlet in Hong Kong, who wanted to be known only as Doris, believes the numbers have been dropping since the global financial crunch.
Ms Doris, who has been working in the fashion label industry for eight years, said: 'It had taken the industry a while to recover since Sars.
'It has just picked up in the past few years and then now this (the financial crisis).'
Those working in shops along the stretch of Nathan Road, a popular shopping belt, observed that the situation seemed to have worsened in the past two months. And seemingly missing in numbers were visitors from the US, Europe and Australia.
Dwindling takings
Mr Lam Cheuk Kee, 52, who runs a small-scale boutique at Granville in Tsim Sha Tsui, is also worried.
He said: 'In the past, I could easily make a daily average of between HK$6,000 ($1,160) and HK$8,000.
'These days, I can get barely HK$2,000 sometimes.'
Over at Causeway Bay, many visitors from China were spotted in a Milan Station outlet, a popular chain of high-end second-hand shops.
Shop assistant Angela Lok said: 'We used to have local women here, but now, when they come here, it's mainly to sell their stuff.
'Instead, our core customers these days are the Chinese, who cart off the items after paying in cash.'
Ms Guo Yuejie, 30, from Guangzhou, left the shop with three Gucci tote bags and a Hermes handbag. She said: 'I usually come here to buy the famous labels - the prices are a steal for the genuine items.'
Singaporean May Yeong, 27, who was shopping at Times Square, is one of those the Hong Kong tourism office would want to welcome more often.
Miss Yeong said: 'I used to go to Bangkok for the cheap market buys and spas, while Hong Kong is for my 'luxury' shopping. But with the frequent unrest in Bangkok, I come here instead.'
Madam Anastasia Felly, 43, an Indonesian married to a Hong Kong civil servant, has always enjoyed shopping in her husband's homeland during her short stays.
She said: 'I used to travel to Paris and Milan for shopping sprees. But now, each time I'm back (in Hong Kong), I would just pick up whatever I want here.'
Madam Anastasia has another reason for showing such 'support'. She said: 'Need to boost the economy.'
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