Individual tourists from the Chinese Mainland to Hong Kong: Implications for tourism marketing in fashion

Since the implementation of the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS), the number of tourists from the Chinese Mainland (CM) to Hong Kong (HK) has increased dramatically. These IVS tourists have huge consumption power and account for 50-70% of the total sales revenue of many HK fashion retailers. In this context, the authors explore the consumer attitudes and preferences of the IVS tourists. Based on a random sampling method involving over 2,000 CM tourists, a questionnaire survey was conducted. The findings show that IVS tourists have complex attitudes towards higher-end brands and their extended products. Moreover, statistically significant results are found in relation to: the comparison of HK consumers with IVS tourists; the analysis of gender attitudes; and the regional analysis. Company interviews have been conducted and specific managerial insights are presented.