Heritage Survival – Opportunities and Threats of Heritage Tourism to Historic Landscapes

Event Series:

Please visit the HKICON website for more details:  https://www.hkicon.org/heritage-survival

About the Symposium

The culminating event of our series, a symposium dedicated to exploring the opportunities and threats of heritage tourism to historic landscapes in Hong Kong, will be held on 6 July 2024. This insightful gathering will take place in the historic Garden Room of the Helena May, a Declared Monument.

Drawing upon the unique and valuable research and case studies presented by our esteemed scholars and practitioners from Hong Kong and the broader region, as well as insights gained from our creative field trips, this symposium will delve into the opportunities and challenges facing heritage tourism in Hong Kong’s cultural landscapes. Our discussions will focus on three key areas:

1.⁠ ⁠The symbiotic relationship between historic landscapes and cultural tourism.

2.⁠ ⁠The impacts of this symbiosis on local communities and their environments.

3.⁠ ⁠ Ways to approach tourism for the sustainability of the landscapes.

Attendees will have the chance to network and enjoy canapés during the break, fostering connections with fellow enthusiasts and experts in a beautiful, historic setting.

Programme & Presentations:

Speakers

Mr. Paul CHAN Chi Yuen is a cultural entrepreneur with a unique blend of education and experience in law, public affairs and tourism. He holds a Bachelor of Laws degree and a 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 degree in Comparative Politics from the London School of Economics and Political Science.

Paul is now a Co-founder & CEO of Walk -in-HK, a leading cultural enterprise that offers unique walking tours and immersive experiences in the city. In addition to his professional accomplishments, Paul is also a dedicated advocate for heritage conservation, sustainable tourism, and placemaking in Hong Kong.

Prof. Sidney C. H. CHEUNG is Professor of the Department of Anthropology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong. He received his higher education in Japan, and his major research interests include visual anthropology, anthropology of tourism, heritage studies, food and identity, fragrance and ethnicity in Japan, Hong Kong, and mainland China; his co-edited books include Tourism, Anthropology and China (White Lotus, 2001), The Globalization of Chinese Food (Routledge Curzon, 2002), Food and Foodways in Asia: Resource, Tradition and Cooking (Routledge, 2007), Rethinking Asian Food  Heritage (Foundation of Chinese Dietary Culture, Taiwan, 2014), and author of Hong Kong Foodways (HKU Press, 2022). Recently, he is guest editing two special issues on countryside conservation for Built Heritage and The Journal of Chinese Architecture and Urbanism.

Dr. André LUI Chak Keong is a distinguished architect and recognized Architecte du Patrimoine in France. He holds a doctorate in Design with a focus on heritage and is an active member of ICOMOS. From 2000 to 2003, Dr. Lui played a pivotal role in documenting Macao’s Historical Centre for its World Heritage classification while serving as a government architect. Between 2014 and 2017, he was a vital member of the Cultural Heritage Committee, where he provided his expertise in heritage conservation. Since 2020, Dr. Lui has been serving on the Urban Planning Committee of the Macao SAR, continuously contributing to urban development and heritage conservation.

Mr. MEI Chee Seong is an architect, co-founded aLM Architects in 2003 with Ar. Liew Tze Siang in Georgetown, Penang. The firm expanded to Alor Setar, Kota Kinabalu, and Kuala Lumpur, and diversified into green building and building conservation. Their projects span residential, commercial, and cultural sectors, earning recognition such as BCI Malaysia Top 10 Architects and multiple PAM Awards. In 2023, they relocated to Hin Bus Depot to launch COEX, a community-oriented architecture experiment. It is a bottom up architect initiate community platform/experiment to incubate unique local art & cultural DNA organically.

Mr. TAM Chon Ip was born into a shipbuilding family in Macau, which nurtured his deep-rooted passion for maritime heritage. He majored in archaeology at university and has dedicated his career to historical research and cultural promotion. In recent years, Mr. Tam has primarily focused on the conservation, documentation, and research of Macao’s shipbuilding industry. He has curated several significant projects, including the Macau Coloane Lai Chi Van Shipbuilding Industry Exhibition Hall (2020-present), Wandering Dragons (2022), Gaa3 Caang1 (2023), and Decoding Quarter and Lane: Stone Landmarks Clues in Historical Districts (2024-2025). His work continues to preserve and celebrate Macao’s rich cultural heritage.

Mr. TAN Shih Thoe is an engineer by training. He graduated at the Monash University in Melbourne with a degree in Industrial Engineering and returned to his hometown of Penang in 1995. Initially, he worked as an engineer, gaining valuable industry experience in the early years. Soon after, he joined his family’s business, which specializes in the supply of industrial materials and property investments. Leveraging his expertise, Mr. Tan became one of the co-owners responsible for transforming the Hin Bus Depot into a vibrant creative arts space in Penang. His innovative approach has significantly contributed to the local arts and culture scene, making it a prominent destination for creativity and community engagement.

Dr. Montira Horayangura UNAKUL is a Culture Programme Officer at UNESCO Bangkok.  She has managed various UNESCO programmes within the Asia-Pacific region related to the safeguarding and sustainable development of cultural heritage, with a focus on World Heritage.  She has developed capacity building programmes such as reviving traditional knowledge for conserving built heritage, sustainable heritage tourism and collections management.  She has a BA in Economics and East Asian Studies from Harvard University, MCP and MArch from the University of California, Berkeley in Architecture and in City Planning and a PhD in Urban Planning from Chulalongkorn University.

Panel Discussion Special Guest

Prof. Laurence LOH  is an Honorary Fellow of HKICON and has been an active supporter of Hong Kong’s conservation endeavours for over 27 years. He was an annual lecturer in the ACP Heritage Management Course from 2012-2022 where he shared his expertise and in-depth knowledge of conservation theory and practice. He has acted from time to time as an advisor to the Urban Renewal Authority, the Antiquities and Monuments Board and other interest groups in Hong Kong. Further afield, he is presently collaborating with the Getty Conservation Institute and Think City Institute on an urban conservation planning course for ASEAN countries to help operationalise the Historic Urban Landscape Approach, with UNESCO to develop and deepen its outreach through new programmes and its UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Awards and the World Heritage Centre through ICOMOS on site monitoring missions and technical reviews.

He is a recipient of the 2019 PAM Gold Medal Award for his life-long contribution to the advancement of architecture in Malaysia and several UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage Awards.

MC

Mr. Roger Wu is the Co-founder of the Lion Rock Heritage Foundation, Hong Kong’s first privately funded heritage trust with the mission to transform heritage properties into spaces that serve the local community. He was the Executive Director of Project Development at Haw Par Music Foundation Limited. He was the Chief Curator of the 2019 Bi-City Biennale of Urbanism\Architecture (Hong Kong) and is an active member of the Royal Institute of British Architects and the Hong Kong Institute of Architects, serving on various committees. Born in Hong Kong and raised in the UK, Roger has extensive experience in architecture, specializing in large-scale master planning and historic building restoration, including projects like Peter Jones Department Store, Kings Cross Station, and the Royal Military Academy in London.