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Guest of Honour Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Mr Raistlin Lau (3rd from left) officiates the ceremony, accompanied by URA Managing Director Ir Wai Chi-sing (2nd from left), District Officer (Central and Western) Mr David Leung Chee-kay (2nd from right), Territorial Commander of The Salvation Army Hong Kong and Macau Territory Colonel Philip Maxwell (1st from right), and Deputy Managing Director (Asset Management) of Chinachem Group Mr Joseph Leung (1st from left).
Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Mr Raistlin Lau, URA Managing Director IR Wai Chi-sing, and Chief Secretary of The Salvation Army Hong Kong and Macau Territory Major Minny Chan present certificates of appreciation to the volunteer docents.
URA Executive Director (Commercial) Wilfred Au (left) presents “Quotations from the Locals” and the maps of “Touring Central with Locals” to the Director, Trade Development of Hong Kong Tourism Board Mr Henry Wong (right), symbolising the sharing of “Touring Central with Locals” experiences with the tourism industry.
URA Executive Director (Commercial) Wilfred Au (left) and Chairman of the Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association Mr Calvin Cheng (right), join the pieces of the “Touring Central with Locals” and “The Local’s Guide” puzzle together, representing their collaborative efforts to create a better tourism environment in Central and Sheung Wan, attracting more visitors and enhancing community vitality.
Guests share the joy in recognising the volunteer docents of “Touring Central with Locals” at the appreciation ceremony.
Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Mr Raistlin Lau (1st from left) and URA Managing Director Ir Wai Chi-sing (2nd from left) tour around the game booths hosted by the docents.

URA Recognises the Volunteer Docents of “Touring Central with Locals” and Announces Extension Activities

The Urban Renewal Authority (URA) held a ceremony today (24 January 2025) to recognise the volunteer docents of the “Touring Central with Locals” (volunteer docents) under the “City Walk” Programme in Central and Sheung Wan.  It also announced various collaborations with the business and tourism sectors as extension activities of “Touring Central with Locals” to further boost tourism in Central and Sheung Wan, injecting new vitality into the community.

Held at the Central Market, the appreciation ceremony was officiated by Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Mr Raistlin Lau, URA Managing Director Ir Wai Chi-sing, District Officer (Central and Western) Mr David Leung Chee-kay, Territorial Commander of The Salvation Army Hong Kong and Macau Territory Colonel Philip Maxwell and Deputy Managing Director (Asset Management) of Chinachem Group Mr Joseph Leung.  Volunteer docents attended the ceremony and received certificates of appreciation, with some sharing their experiences gained in the tours on stage.

Speaking at the ceremony, Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Mr Raistlin Lau remarked, “Hong Kong has many advantages for developing routes for city walking. These include its unique history and culture, the distinct characteristics of various communities, convenient transportation, strong accessibility and excellent public safety, allowing both locals and tourists to walk around comfortably both day and night. I would like to thank the URA for organising the ‘Touring Central with Locals’ which highlighted the vibrant walking routes in Central and Sheung Wan and showcased the unique characters of the district.”

Delivering his remark, URA Managing Director Ir Wai Chi-sing emphasised that “Touring Central with Locals” has three key elements for success: the local docents, the infusion of artistic vitality, and the three "B" components: utilising the local characters (Built Environment) as the foundation of the activity, fostering community connections (Social Bonding) and promoting the district economy (Business Environment).  He said,  “The URA connects its urban renewal projects in Central and Sheung Wan with the area's unique buildings and streets, while also encouraging various stakeholders, organisations, and groups to work together to foster community ties. In addition, the Hong Kong Small and Medium Enterprises Association brought together shops and restaurants in the area to launch the 'Backstreet Alliance — The Local's Guide' Scheme, enriching the overall environment with vibrant elements.”

URA Executive Director (Commercial) Wilfred Au added that while the URA can improve the city’s “hardware”, it is the participation of community stakeholders that adds “warmth” to urban renewal.  He hopes to promote the three “B” components across various districts.

The URA also announced the extension activities of “Touring Central with Locals”, which included the sharing of the four themed maps and highlights of hotspots with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and the tourism sector, and the plan to publish a book titled “Quotations from the Locals” (the Book) “地膽語錄”.  The Book will feature the personal stories of the docents, interesting district anecdotes, and experiences from organising “Touring Central with Locals”, and will serve as a reference resource for the tourism sector.  At the ceremony, URA Executive Director (Commercial) Wilfred Au presented the Book to be published and the four maps to the Director, Trade Development of HKTB Mr Henry Wong.

Jointly organised by the URA, The Salvation Army and Central Market, the “Touring Central with Locals” is part of the URA's “City Walk” Programme in Central and Sheung Wan.  58 individuals aged 55 or above were recruited as volunteer docents. Born, grew up or have worked in Central and Sheung Wan, these docents were deeply familiar with the community.  They received training, designed the routes and led the tours.  By sharing their personal stories and experiences en route, they made “Touring Central with Locals” unique, attracting over 2,000 citizens to sign up.  From 9 November 2024 to 16 January 2025, 60 free tours were conducted, drawing approximately 600 participants. Among the 58 docents, 35 expressed interest in pursuing professional tour guide qualifications as an extension of their docent experience.