Can new pandas attract more visitors to Hong Kong's Ocean Park?

Hong Kong has recently welcomed two new giant pandas in a lavish ceremony that has sparked optimism in the tourism sector.

On September 26, the city celebrated the arrival of An An and Ke Ke, a pair of pandas gifted by Beijing, during a grand ceremony. This marks the third pair of giant pandas sent to Hong Kong from mainland China since the territory's return to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, Caliber.Az reports via foreign media. 

Their arrival follows the recent birth of twins by their neighbour Ying Ying, who made history as the world’s oldest first-time panda mother. With the inclusion of An An, Ke Ke, their twin siblings, and their father Le Le, Hong Kong now hosts six pandas in total. 

Chief Executive John Lee described An An as a five-year-old male who is agile, smart, and energetic, while Ke Ke is also five years old, known for her climbing skills, cuteness, and gentle nature. The new pandas will spend two months in quarantine to acclimate to their environment at Ocean Park, a beloved zoo and aquarium. Lee expressed optimism that the public will have the chance to meet the new arrivals by mid-December. In October, the government plans to invite residents to suggest names that reflect the pandas’ traits. Representatives from the tourism industry are hopeful that housing six pandas will attract more visitors to Hong Kong. 

Officials are urging businesses to take advantage of the newfound popularity of these bears and their newborn cubs, with some lawmakers referring to it as the “panda economy.” Pandas are seen as China's unofficial national symbol, and the country’s panda loan program with international zoos has long served as a tool for Beijing's soft-power diplomacy. Native only to China’s southwest, giant pandas are facing threats to their population due to habitat loss. However, maintaining pandas in captivity can be costly. For instance, a zoo in Finland returned two giant pandas to China over eight years ahead of schedule because the expenses were too high amid falling visitor numbers. 

Ocean Park in Hong Kong has been home to pandas since 1999, when the first pair, An An and Jia Jia, arrived shortly after the city’s handover to China. Jia Jia, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 38, holds the record as the oldest panda ever in captivity. In the wild, pandas typically live 18 to 20 years, while in captivity, their lifespan can extend to around 30 years, according to Guinness World Records.

By Naila Huseynova