Hong Kong Taxis: Crisis, Competition, and Courtesy Campaigns

Hong Kong wants its tourists back—but first, it has to fix its taxis. In this episode, we unpack the city’s sweeping effort to repair its battered hospitality image after years of political turmoil and pandemic paralysis. With passenger complaints up 53% in a single year, officials are rolling out courtesy campaigns, penalty points, mandatory digital payments, and even surveillance cameras to rein in bad behavior behind the wheel. But these reforms hit an industry already under strain: aging drivers, costly licenses, shrinking wages, and relentless competition from a not-quite-legal Uber. Add rising frustration from mainland Chinese tourists—Hong Kong’s biggest visitor group—and the pressure to improve becomes a matter of economic survival. Can a taxi makeover help revive the city’s global appeal?https://www.economist.com/china/2025/03/13/hong-kongs-taxi-drivers-are-told-to-smile-more