Cool PR Happenings in HK: Swine Flu Crisis – Tourism, Public Health and Disneyland Messes Up Again

You’ll have to excuse my brief departure into much dorkier blogging, but I can’t help myself…and you know me, you should have expected this all along. I’ve got PR on the brain 24/7 and my favorite topics are those related to health, crisis and general humorous corporate flubs. I’m also more or less obsessed with all-things Hong Kong. So here comes your quick lessons and updates about cool PR happenings in HK that I’d like to share with you – because I think they’re interesting, I think you’ll think they’re interesting, and because as much as I can entertain you with silly stories about my life here, I’m supposed to be achieving professional growth during these two months…so settle in for some stimulating discussion…

SWINE FLU

I can’t disclose any details about the operations of the Hong Kong Tourism Board – but obviously, swine flu is a crisis for the Hong Kong tourism industry (and virtually that of all other countries) and so it is up to my office to navigate this crisis in terms of its effect on tourism. What’s interesting is how history and politics, rather than factual information and official communications, are influencing a lot of perceptions and actions both inside and outside of Hong Kong.

History –

In Hong Kong, there exists a heightened sensitivity to the dynamics of health pandemics because of the outbreak of SARS in 2003, which infected more than 8,000 people and resulted in more than 800 deaths. Since that devastating event, the people of Hong Kong have been waiting for the “next-SARS” to hit, and many believed that swine flu would be it. Interestingly, this fear has seemed to ebb greatly from its initial intensity and scope – perhaps because even though increasing numbers of domestic cases are being reported, schools are closing and public sanitation measures have been intensified, overall business is continuing as usual; now that swine flu is finally here in Hong Kong, people are able to see that this is nothing like the SARS epidemic six years ago. The fear was about not knowing what H1N1 would be like on HK soil.

SARS left people of Hong Kong fearful of susceptibility because it has since shaped their risk perception. Risk perception is such an interesting element of health and crisis communication and is a real challenge for campaign leaders and communication professionals to work with. How do individuals or large groups of people gauge their risk for exposure and infection? It’s not just facts and data – it’s informed by personal experience and beliefs. How do communications teams effectively convey the nature of risk and explain who is at risk and who isn’t, so that at-risk populations take action to protect themselves? Sometimes messages don’t get through, aren’t fully understood, or are ignored altogether.

If you compare the general population of HK to that of America, Hong Kongers have a much higher perceived risk of swine flu infection – they are much more likely to believe that they will fall victim to health epidemics in general. Americans, however, are much less likely to believe they are susceptible to swine flu, even when they are advised to take precautionary measures against it. In general, Americans have a particularly low risk perception for any number of risky behaviors – including tobacco, alcohol and drug use and unprotected sex.

Interpretation of information and story-telling also differs from society to society, and has an impact on risk perception. For swine flu, we see Americans valuing certain items of information over others and interpreting data differently than Hong Kongers. A popular “story” in America is that swine flu has a much lower mortality rate than the regular seasonal flu and those who have died from swine flu had preexisting conditions or compromised immune systems prior to contracting it. This story is less prevalent in Hong Kong society; here the focus is on the rapid rate of global infection. The facts present in both stories are accurate, but swine flu is understood as a pest in America and as a monster in Hong Kong.

Media also plays an important role in this. American media gave swine flu its five minutes and have since moved on - going from a period of heavy coverage with a bleak outlook when the outbreaks were first reported, to more moderate and neutral coverage of swine flu…simple updates rather than stories. Hong Kong media has continued to have swine flu as front page and headline news – perhaps because it is what the people of Hong Kong are concerned about (yes, in countries other than America sometimes the people set the media agenda rather than the other way around) or perhaps to conveniently take some heat away from the 20th anniversary of Tiananmen Square on June 4th and the HK handover anniversary on July 1st which is usually punctuated with rallies and protests for democratic rule in Hong Kong.

Politics –

While Hong Kong is a part of China, it operates somewhat independently under the “One Country, Two Systems” rule. Particular to tourism, we’re seeing a confusion among potential visitors of whether or not HK is operating in the same way as China is to contain and manage the swine flu crisis. Tourists entering China are greeted on their airplane by Chinese health officials wearing hazmat suits and taking temperatures before passengers are allowed to deplane; symptomatic visitors are held in quarantine. These measures are not in place in Hong Kong – but the tourism industry is in crisis because many people are canceling trips to Hong Kong out of fear that once they arrive, they will be treated with hostility and possibly thrown into quarantine. Hong Kong officials did quarantine a group in The Metropark Hotel in early May, but are no longer taking that measure. Unfortunately, between strict public health measures in China and the publicity of the Metropark quarantine in Hong Kong, many tourists don’t fully understand what they may experience when they visit Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong government and the Hong Kong Tourism Board have been trying to respectfully clear up any misunderstandings about procedures in China versus procedures in Hong Kong. In terms of visitor relations, the HKTB in conjunction with the government, prepared and is now disseminating talking points and key messages regarding this issue, as well as comprehensive FAQs addressing international travel and swine flu concerns. They are working to best inform the public of the situation in Hong Kong. The HKTB is also persistent in its local, Chinese and international news monitoring, to track the intensity of issues surrounding swine flu, assess perceptions of HK tourism and to then adjust messaging accordingly – an essential crisis management tactic.

The government has recently adjusted its messaging in the hopes to change the tone of the swine flu situation in Hong Kong. Messaging has shifted from prevention and warnings specific to swine flu to helpful tips and reminders for staying healthy in general, without explicitly mentioning swine flu. There is an emphasis on hand-washing, covering coughs and sneezes, and being careful to not spread germs. There has also been a massive movement of sanitation workers into offices and public places, to disinfect surfaces every 30 minutes, hour, three hours, etc – the posted signs inform you how often sterilization occurs. The government is hoping that by spreading the message of “business as usual” supported by general, soft initiatives to promote Hong Kong as safe and healthy, tourism will pick up again.

Hong Kong Disneyland -
(If you stuck with me through all that – here’s your reward: Disneyland!)

What saddens me about Hong Kong Disneyland is the same thing I love about it: they just can’t seem to get anything right; it’s almost endearing.

They built the park much too small, severely underestimated Chinese tourists’ desire for rides and thrills over photo opportunities, severely overestimated character familiarity among mainland tourists, served controversial shark fin soup, and initiated a marketing campaign in China depicting a happy family of four (mom, dad, two kids) where, by law, Chinese parents can only have one child. Every year since it opened (2005) the park has lost money and has never reached targeted visitorship figures. Hong Kong Disneyland is sadly, not the happiest place on earth…it’s a pretty big failure.

So just leave it to Hong Kong Disneyland to do something so astronomically off the mark, again. HKD realized a golden “market opportunity” from the mass closures of schools due to swine flu outbreaks in Hong Kong. Disney reduced its admission prices and initiated special promotions to kids and their parents…if kids couldn’t go to school, they should go to Disneyland!

WHAT?

I can imagine I’m a mom in Hong Kong, my kid is sent home from school because of fears of a massive swine flu outbreak, and the last place I’d want to take my child to is a theme park where she (yes, my hypothetical child is a girl) will put her hands and mouth and boogers and germs all over the rides and seats and railings and, not to mention, those huggable loveable life-size characters (who also may have swine flu!) that one thousand other germy, too-susceptible-to-swine-flu-to-stay-in-school kids have touched and drooled on and boogerified as well. Hundreds of families blissfully dashing off for a lovely day at Disneyland during the swine flu outbreak…c’mon Disney!

Not only was this promotion a terrific failure, it also greatly offended many people who are, understandably, taking swine flu seriously and don’t believe that Disney should attempt to capitalize on school closures and health crises.

What may be next for Hong Kong Disneyland? At this rate, they’ll probably use Sneezy dwarf as the main character in their next big swine flu spectacular promotion.