Heritage and Development in Ha Tsuen, Yuen Long
This is an experiential project that students participated in experiential learning activities and produced a set of tourist maps of Ha Tsuen. As part of the course assignments, students from the University of Hong Kong attending course SOCI2055 Tourism, Culture and Society (2016-2017) were guided to collect primary data, produce travel guides to raise public awareness of local history, heritage preservation and future development of Ha Tsuen, as well as reflect on the impacts of cultural and heritage tourism.
Ha Tsuen is situated at Yuen Long in the New Territories, Hong Kong. Historical records show that the Tang lineage has settled at Ha Tsuen more than six centuries. Nowadays, Ha Tsuen is where rural meets urban area and tradition meets modernity.
In 2016, the government designated Ha Tsuen for village type development and a heritage trail under the plan of Hung Shui Kiu New Development Area. The district is about to experience dramatic changes in a few years.
With financial support from Gallant Ho Experiential Learning Centre, Rotary Club Hong Kong Sunrise and Roundtable Enterprise, students of the course “Tourism, Culture and Society” (second semester, 2016-2017) had experiential learning activities and critically discussed on the role of cultural tourism in heritage preservation and sustainable urban development at Ha Tsuen.
Seven theme tours were designed to introduce Ha Tsuen from different perspectives. A set of tourist maps was also published and distributed through community partners and at Ha Tsuen.
More information here: https://hatsuenhku.wixsite.com/maps
Information accurate as of 2017.
Please contact us at garypfwong@connect.hku.hk if you need further information.