Bringing back the Junk

The Italian canals of Venice are famous for its gondolas, previously for their history but now for the tourism income. If you got it, flaunt it, which is what the Hong Kong Tourism Board is considering in bringing back the Chinese junk fleets.

While they left Hong Kong decades ago, the ‘junk’ remains an international reference for a style of boat and a color of sail, and if money can be made by them sailing on Victoria Harbor, than their return may occur as this editorial ponders:

Much that formerly defined Hong Kong’s public life, civil society, educational discourse, media landscape and overall international image has been deliberately and resolutely retrograded within the space of a few years.

So perhaps it is only a matter of time before yet more obsolete design imagery that – once upon a time – was successfully deployed to promote, represent and epitomize everything Hong Kong had to offer is dragged out of retirement, subjected to revitalization initiatives, and then forced to attempt another weary, futile innings.

Before much longer, one can confidently predict, the world will once again see sailing junks redeployed for tourist marketing campaigns and other rebranding exercises. – Full report