Experiences explained
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Explore how revitalising rural areas can unlock the potential of cultural tourism, balancing heritage preservation, economic development, and community sustainability.
This talk examines how rural revitalisation connects with cultural tourism, showing how heritage, traditions, and landscapes can be transformed into tourism assets that sustain communities and promote economic growth.
Revitalising Hong Kong’s rural areas presents both opportunities and challenges. Villages, heritage buildings, and natural landscapes hold cultural and economic potential, yet require thoughtful strategies to balance conservation with tourism development. This talk explores how cultural tourism can become a driver of local revitalisation while preserving unique traditions and environments.
Talk Highlights
Understanding Rural Revitalisation: Explore the concept and its importance in safeguarding local culture, history, and natural landscapes.
From Heritage to Tourism Asset: Learn how traditions, historic architecture, and natural scenery can be developed into sustainable tourism resources.
Case Studies: Review successful local and international examples of rural revitalisation and cultural tourism, and consider lessons for Hong Kong.
Balancing Development and Sustainability: Discuss how tourism can benefit residents while protecting the environment and ensuring community well-being.
Stakeholders in Action: Examine the roles of government, NGOs, and community groups in driving rural revitalisation through cultural tourism.
Paul Chan Chi Yuen is the Co-Founder and CEO of Walk in Hong Kong, a cultural enterprise dedicated to curating immersive heritage and community experiences. He holds a Bachelor of Laws and Postgraduate Certificate in Laws from the University of Hong Kong, a Master of Philosophy from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a Master of Science in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.
Paul’s career spans academia, government, and media, having served as a part-time lecturer at CUHK’s Department of Government and Public Administration, as Political Assistant to the Secretary for Food and Health of the HKSAR Government (2008–2012), and as a presenter and commentator at RTHK.
In recent years, Paul has focused on the intersection of rural revitalisation, cultural conservation, and sustainable tourism. In 2021, he advised the Tourism Lab Project of the Make A Difference Institute, exploring innovative tourism resources in the North District, including Sha Tau Kok and Lai Chi Wo. He also contributes to Rural Common (村里故事), a project funded by the Countryside Conservation Office, where he guides the collection of oral histories and cultural narratives in Lai Chi Wo and translates them into meaningful tourism and conservation experiences. With over a dozen visits to the village, Paul is deeply familiar with its cultural landscape and historical legacies, making him well-positioned to share insights on how rural conservation and cultural tourism can go hand in hand.