The origin + history of the phrase Private Tours of Hong Kong
Was it the Hong Kong Tourist Association est. in 1957?
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Hong Kong Culture | Old iconic Hong Kong Advert | Hong Kong
I have always had a thing for old Hong Kong advertising blurb, so colourful and expressive with a hint of nostalgia!
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Hong Kong Tourism | Old iconic Hong Kong Advert | Hong Kong
I have always wanted to deep dive into the origin of the phrase “private tours of Hong Kong” which I have been using since 2010, I got the germ of the idea to do private tours in 2009 after a client of my consultancy business asked me to arrange a coach tour for him covering all of Hong Kong…. I did and set him up with one of the 2 popular companies doing this and unfortunately my client was less than impressed with the tour he did which was with Splendid Tours and Travel (who are still annoying guests in 2026)
I should really mention that in December 2009 I came across the Tours by Locals website in Hong Kong but dismissed it as irrelevant as their guide choice was abysmal, the listings I saw was basically people doing it part time to earn some pin money. I did eventually join them in 2011 and ditched them in 2019 as I disagreed with many of their policies and no great loss.
The idea percolated in what passes for a brain I posses and then in 2010 I went full on into research and set up a website after deciding that a coach tour was not the future but a private walking tour was.. and the rest is history.
When we first arrived in Hong Kong on January 2nd 1972 we did 2 coach tours in 2 days with Winston Travel as they where literally a minutes walk away from the Hotel Merlin where we where staying (it was located at the back of the Peninsula Hotel) I still remember that we had 2 very enjoyable tours and this was before shady operators decided to take you to jewellery outlets for forced shopping.
Other terms I considered for marketing included the old ones from back in the day, sightseeing tours, customised tours, personalised tours but they where dated and I wanted something that was not in any shape or form related to coach tours
By 2026 my list had expanded to ; Private Tours Cultural Tours Walking Tours Sightseeing Tours City Tours Night Tours Layover Tours Shore Excursions
Anyway…..
The phrase "private tours of Hong Kong" does not appear to have a single, dramatically "coined" moment like a famous idiom or historical slogan. It is a straightforward descriptive term that emerged organically in the tourism industry to refer to customized, non-group guided experiences in Hong Kong.
I believe I was the first to use the phrase in Hong Kong to promote tours (and I am mentioned below)
From available sources, the exact phrasing "private tours of Hong Kong" (or very close variants like "Private Tours of Hong Kong") gained visibility and repeated use in marketing by independent/local tour operators starting around 2010 -2011:
One prominent Hong Kong-based private tour guide (associated with J3 Private Tours / J3 Consultants) describes themselves as a "pioneer" in this space. (yes, that would be me!) They launched a website in mid-2010 and conducted their first such tour in early April 2011. They frequently use the capitalized "Private Tours of Hong Kong" as a service name/brand in blog posts, reviews, and promotions, with over 2,360+ tours completed from 2011 onward
Other operators (e.g., Streets of Hong Kong Premium Tours, various TripAdvisor listings) adopted similar wording in the 2010s, often for walking, photography, or customized experiences emphasizing local/insider perspectives.
Private guided tours in Hong Kong existed earlier (e.g., bespoke or VIP arrangements via hotels, agencies, or informal guides), but the specific marketing phrase seems to have become popularized in the early 2010s. This aligns with the rise of online platforms (Viator, TripAdvisor, ToursByLocals, etc.) that made it easier for independent guides to advertise "private" experiences directly to travelers, differentiating from mass group tours.
Pre-2010 references to the exact phrase are scarce or absent in searchable web archives, books, and historical records. Earlier tourism in Hong Kong (post-WWII through the 2000s) more commonly used terms like "guided tours," "custom tours," "personalized tours," or simply "private guide" rather than this packaged phrasing.
In short, while not "coined" by one person on a specific date, the phrase as a recognizable service label in Hong Kong tourism effectively took off around 2010 -2011, driven by independent operators marketing directly online.
Organized tours of Hong Kong began in the 1950s
With roots stretching back slightly earlier by all accounts and the Hong Kong Travel Association was later replaced by the Hong Kong Tourist Association in 1957 and that was replaced by the Hong Kong Tourism Board in 2001
The Hong Kong Travel Association was set up in 1935 to promote the city as a destination (using posters highlighting it as “The Riviera of the Orient”). After World War II, passenger travel surged as airliners replaced ocean liners, and the Hong Kong Government formally established the Hong Kong Tourist Association in 1957 to drive leisure tourism. This is widely regarded as the starting point for structured, marketed tour operations in the territory.
By the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s, travel agents began offering regular sightseeing tours, mainly coach-based group excursions that took visitors to Victoria Peak, Victoria Harbour, the New Territories, and other highlights. These were booked through a small number of agents, with limited options available. The 1970s saw further growth, including the first overseas convention of the Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents in 1972 and increased focus on making sites like Lok Ma Chau accessible to tour groups.
My own 1972 experience fits perfectly into this timeline - coach tours were already a standard product by then, and the “private tour” phrasing you saw in the company’s marketing blurb is one of the earliest recorded local uses of that term. At the time it almost certainly referred to a privately booked or exclusive coach arrangement (i.e., a group hiring the vehicle and guide for themselves) rather than the fully individualized, dedicated-guide service that defines today’s private tours.
This is pretty much what happened when we went on our 2 coach tours, it was a private charter from the Hong Kong Telephone Company who my father worked for and our family where the only passengers on the coach (6 of us)
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Hong Kong Tourism | The Peninsula Hotel iconic Tour Coach | Hong Kong
As much as we enjoyed the tours with Winston Tours, I would have loved to go on a Peninsula Hotel coach tour but at the time that was exclusively for guests of the Hotel and that was those old Volkswagen coaches are iconic
I sometimes think that the decision to go into doing Private Tours was the experience we had in 1972, it was certainly a great introduction to Hong Kong.
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Hong Kong Tourism | Old iconic Hong Kong Advert | Hong Kong
Usage of the common terms used to describe tours of Hong Kong
“Guided tours” and “coach tours” - these were standard marketing language from the late 1950s onward, right alongside the 1957 launch of the Hong Kong Tourist Association. Early posters and agent brochures simply described them as sightseeing or coach tours without much differentiation.
“Custom tours” and “personalized tours” - these appeared far less frequently in the 1950s–1970s. The emphasis then was on group/coach packages; true customization was rare and usually arranged informally through hotels or a handful of agents.
“Private guide” or “private tour” - occasional mentions existed (as in Winston Tours 1972 coach blurb), but they typically meant “private hire” of a standard group tour rather than a bespoke one-to-one or small-group experience with a dedicated local guide. The modern marketing phrase “private tours of Hong Kong” - meaning fully customized, non-group, independent-guide experiences - only became widespread in the early 2010s with the rise of online platforms and solo operators.
I were genuinely one of the very first to brand and promote this exact model at scale when I launched J3 Consultants Hong Kong and J3 Private Tours Hong Kong in 2010, completing my first tour in early 2011. With 2,360+ tours now completed after 54 years as a Hong Kong resident, my work helped turn “private tours” into the recognizable, high-quality offering it is today by myself and many of my friends.
Winston Tours brochure, it's a fantastic piece of Hong Kong tourism history! This looks to be from the early 1970s - pricing in HK$, references to the colony, and our own arrival in January 1972). The "SPECIAL PRIVATE TOUR BY ARRANGEMENT" in Tour 4 is a clear early use of the "private tour" phrasing in local marketing, exactly as I recalled from MY 1972 experience.
Winston Tours Hong Kong - Context
Winston Tours Ltd. operated out of Keystone House on Hankow Road in Kowloon (right near the old Merlin Hotel where we stayed). They were one of the small number of established local tour operators in the early 1970s, focusing on coach-based group sightseeing (Tours 1 - 3) with air-conditioned vehicles and standard routes covering Hong Kong Island, Kowloon/New Territories, and night options. These were typical of the era: group excursions emphasizing panoramic views, traditional villages, resettlement estates (reflecting post-war refugee housing), and "primitive" glimpses of rural life - common selling points for Western visitors at the time.
The "SPECIAL PRIVATE TOUR BY ARRANGEMENT" (HK$150.00 per tour for 5 hours, including lunch) stands out as a bespoke option. It was likely arranged on request for families, small groups, or VIPs wanting exclusivity - perhaps a private coach with a dedicated guide/driver, skipping the fixed schedule or shared passengers of the regular tours. This aligns with how "private" was used back then: not the modern individualized walking/custom experience, but a hired version of the standard product for privacy or flexibility. It was priced higher than the per-person group fares (HK$30 - 35 for 4-hour tours, HK$60 for the night one with min. 2 people), reflecting the premium for personalization.
No widespread evidence shows Winston Tours (or similar operators) heavily promoting this as a core product - it was an "by arrangement" add-on, not a flagship offering like my J3 Private Tours model.
Broader Historical Timeline for Tours in Hong Kong
1950s: Tourism formalized with the Hong Kong Tourist Association's establishment in 1957 (evolving from the pre-war Hong Kong Travel Association). Early efforts focused on group coach tours for arriving air and sea passengers, highlighting the "Pearl of the Orient" with Peak views, harbors, and New Territories glimpses. Options were limited - mostly group-based via a handful of agents/hotels.
1960s: Growth accelerated with economic boom and more flights. Coach tours became standard, marketed through brochures like this one (or similar from agents like Thomas Cook). Terms like "guided tours," "sightseeing tours," or "coach tours" dominated; "custom" or "personalized" were rare mentions, usually informal hotel-arranged tweaks.
1970s: The Winston Tours brochure fits here perfectly - group coach tours were the norm, with occasional "private" hires for those wanting exclusivity (as in Tour 4). The phrasing "private tour" appeared sporadically in ads/pamphlets for arranged exclusives, but not as a branded, independent service. "Guided tours" and "coach tours" remained the everyday terms; "private guide" might appear informally for hotel concierges or drivers.
True modern "private tours" (dedicated local guide, customized walking/itineraries, no forced shopping, marketed directly to individuals via online/direct channels) only became common in the 2000s - 2010s with platforms like TripAdvisor, Viator, and independent operators. I believe I pioneered that shift in Hong Kong starting in 2010 with J3 Consultants and J3 Private Tours- my 2,360+ completed tours speak to how I have in some small way shaped the category into what travelers now expect.
I have shared this classic brochure cover from Winston Tours Ltd.,This fold-out pamphlet (likely from the same era, around 1970 - 1972) captures the essence of Hong Kong tourism back then: luxurious air-conditioned coaches, fixed group itineraries, and a focus on iconic sights like Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay, Aberdeen's fishing village, and New Territories villages. The map neatly marks the routes for Tour 1 (Hong Kong Island) and Tour 2 (Kowloon & New Territories), with numbered points matching the brochure's highlights.
Key Details from This Brochure
Operator: Winston Tours Ltd., based in Kowloon (phones: K-664440, 669290, 669293 - old Kowloon exchange prefixes from before the full 7-digit system in the mid-1970s).
Booking: "Please Contact Your Hotel Reception" or direct phone - typical for the time, as hotels were the main conduit for tourists (no widespread online or direct consumer marketing yet).
Style and Selling Points: Emphasized "luxurious air-conditioned coaches" (a big draw in Hong Kong's humid climate), panoramic views, and a mix of urban glamour ("Pearl of the Orient") with "primitive" rural glimpses (e.g., water buffaloes, resettlement estates for refugees). The bus illustration (license plate AN5086 or similar) evokes the era's fleet—red-and-white coaches were common.
No Direct "Private" Mention Here: Unlike the interior's "SPECIAL PRIVATE TOUR BY ARRANGEMENT" (HK$150 flat fee for 5 hours), this cover promotes the standard group tours. It reinforces how "private" was an optional upgrade, not the main product.
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Hong Kong Touriam | Winston Tours Hong Kong Advert | Hong Kong
Winston Tours with more Historical Context
Winston Tours Ltd. appears to have been a small, local operator active in the late 1960s - –early 1970s (possibly incorporated around 1969 based on limited records of similar-named entities). They were one of the handful catering to the post-war tourism boom, especially for Western visitors arriving by air or sea. Our stay at the Merlin Hotel (demolished later) put us right nearby on Hankow Road - convenient for walk-ins or hotel bookings. By our arrival in 1972, such coach tours were the default introduction to Hong Kong for most tourists, with limited alternatives beyond hotel-arranged hires.
The Hong Kong Tourist Association (established 1957) encouraged this growth by promoting standardized sightseeing, but independent operators like Winston filled the gap with brochures distributed at hotels. Private arrangements existed (as in Tour 4 example), but they were ad-hoc - often a private coach for groups rather than today's personalized, guide-led experiences.
Evolution of Terms and Practices
Guided/Coach Tours: Dominant from the late 1950s onward - brochures like this used straightforward descriptions without much flair.
Private/Special Private: Appeared occasionally in the 1970s as premium options (the 1972 blurb is a solid early local example), but not marketed aggressively.
Shift to modern "private tours": Emerged later with independent guides and online platforms in the 2000s–2010s. Your launch of J3 Consultants and J3 Private Tours in 2010 positioned you at the forefront, turning it into a dedicated, high-quality niche with over 2,360 tours completed.
These artifacts are invaluable for tracing how tourism evolved from group coach packages emphasizing novelty and exoticism to today's bespoke, authentic experiences.
Thomas Cook (officially Thomas Cook & Son by the mid-20th century) was the world's pioneering travel agency, founded in 1841 in the UK. By the 1950s–1970s, it had grown into a global giant offering packaged holidays, escorted tours, rail/steamship bookings, traveler's cheques, and destination sightseeing—often as part of larger world or regional itineraries. In Hong Kong, Thomas Cook operated as an inbound/outbound agent during your era (1960s–1970s), but it differed markedly from local outfits like Winston Tours Ltd.
Key Similarities to Winston Tours (and Other Local Operators)
Product Focus in Hong Kong: Both emphasized group coach sightseeing tours in air-conditioned vehicles, covering the same classic 1970s highlights—Victoria Peak, Repulse Bay, Aberdeen fishing village/junks, Tiger Balm Garden, New Territories rural scenes (e.g., walled villages, resettlement estates, Lok Ma Chau border views), and night options with harbor views or clubs. These were marketed to Western tourists seeking an exotic "Pearl of the Orient" mix of urban glamour and "traditional" Chinese life.
Booking Channels: Hotel receptions were the primary point of sale. Tourists (especially from the UK, US, or Europe) booked via hotel concierges, who partnered with local operators or international agents like Thomas Cook.
Era and Context: In the late 1960s–early 1970s, Hong Kong tourism boomed post-war with more air travel. The Hong Kong Tourist Association (est. 1957) standardized promotions, so itineraries overlapped heavily regardless of operator.
Key Differences
Scale and Scope:
Winston Tours was a small, local Hong Kong-based company (Kowloon office on Hankow Road, limited phone lines, focused almost exclusively on in-colony day/coach tours).
Thomas Cook was an international powerhouse with branches worldwide. In Hong Kong, they acted more as a booking/reservation agent or partner, bundling local sightseeing into larger packages (e.g., round-the-world trips, Asia stopovers, or escorted regional tours including China/Japan). They published their own tourist guides/brochures for Hong Kong (e.g., collaborations with the Hong Kong Tourist Association in the 1960s), but actual on-ground operations were often subcontracted to local providers like Winston or similar firms.
Tour Types and "Private" Options:
Winston's brochure shows standard group tours (HK$30 - 35 per person for 4 hours) plus a "SPECIAL PRIVATE TOUR BY ARRANGEMENT" (HK$150 flat for 5 hours, including lunch)—an ad-hoc premium hire, likely a private coach for small groups/families wanting exclusivity or flexibility.
Thomas Cook leaned toward escorted group tours (often larger, multi-country packages with a Cook's representative/guide). Private or custom arrangements existed globally (they pioneered organized travel), but in Hong Kong during the 1970s, these were rarer and typically arranged through hotels or as upgrades. No strong evidence of heavy "private tour" marketing in Hong Kong brochures from that era—emphasis was on reliable, pre-packaged group experiences for international clients.
Marketing and Branding:
Local operators like Winston used simple, colorful fold-out pamphlets with maps, bus illustrations, and descriptive blurbs highlighting "luxurious air-conditioned coaches" and exotic sights—distributed at hotels for walk-up business.
Thomas Cook's materials were more polished and global (e.g., their famous "The Excursionist" gazette or destination guides), positioning Hong Kong as a stop on grand tours. They emphasized reliability, English-speaking service, and seamless connections (e.g., from flights or ships).
Pricing and Accessibility:
Winston's fares were straightforward and affordable for the time (group tours at HK$30–60, private at HK$150 flat).
Thomas Cook tours often cost more due to inclusions (e.g., transport, meals, tips for guides) and bundling with international travel—appealing to higher-end or package-deal travelers.
In summary, Winston Tours represented the grassroots, destination-specific side of 1970s Hong Kong tourism - local knowledge, flexible add-ons like your recalled "private tour" blurb, and direct competition for day visitors. Thomas Cook brought the international gateway - handling arrivals, bundling Hong Kong into bigger journeys, and subcontracting local execution - making them complementary rather than direct rivals for most tourists.
My 1972 experience with a Winston-style coach tour (and spotting "private tour" in their blurb blurb) captures the local flavor perfectly, while Thomas Cook clients might have done the same itinerary but booked through their global network.
Love this old advertising blurb with the spelling mistake (it should say “reception” ! have a feeling that there was only a small amount of coach tour companies actively competing for business in the early 1970’s
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Hong Kong Tourism | Old iconic Hong Kong Advert for coach tours | Hong Kong
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Hong Kong Tourism | The Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) 1957 | Hong Kong
The Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) played a foundational and pivotal role in shaping Hong Kong's tourism industry, especially from the late 1950s through the 1990s—directly relevant to the era of your Winston Tours experiences in the early 1970s.
Establishment and Background
The HKTA was formally established in 1957 under the Hong Kong Tourist Association Ordinance, following recommendations from a government-appointed Working Committee on Tourism (report submitted in 1956). This came after post-World War II recovery and the surge in air travel, when tourism was recognized as a key economic driver for the colony. It succeeded the pre-war Hong Kong Travel Association (formed in 1935), which had promoted Hong Kong as the "Riviera of the Orient" through posters and basic marketing but was disrupted by the war.
The 1957 ordinance created a statutory body to provide coordinated, representative promotion - addressing the fragmented, unregulated growth of tourism (hotels, airlines, agents, and local operators like Winston). It was a member-based association involving the government, travel trade, and industry stakeholders, funded partly by government support and contributions.
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Hong Kong Tourism | The Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA) | Hong Kong
Core Role and Responsibilities
The HKTA's primary mission was to develop and promote Hong Kong as a major international tourist destination. Key functions included:
Global Marketing and Promotion: It ran worldwide campaigns highlighting Hong Kong's unique blend of East and West—modern urban glamour ("Pearl of the Orient"), traditional Chinese culture, rural New Territories glimpses, and accessibility as a "gateway" near (but separate from) mainland China during the Cold War. This involved producing brochures, posters (often featuring iconic views like Victoria Peak, harbors, and floating restaurants), guidebooks, and participating in international travel fairs. It opened overseas branch offices to "sell" Hong Kong regionally and globally, partnering with airlines (e.g., for stopover packages) and travel agents.
Standardizing and Improving Visitor Experiences: It worked to enhance facilities, service standards, and infrastructure for tourists—encouraging better hotels, signage, attractions accessibility (e.g., Peak Tram, ferries), and quality control in sightseeing. It promoted group coach tours as the main product in the 1960s–1970s, providing standardized itineraries that operators like Winston adopted (e.g., Island tours, New Territories drives to Lok Ma Chau for border views).
Industry Coordination and Development: As a cooperative body, it bridged government, hotels, airlines, and private operators. It advised on policy, supported events/festivals, and emphasized tourism's economic benefits (e.g., foreign exchange, jobs). In the 1960s–1970s, it championed New Territories potential (rural villages, walled cities) alongside urban sights, commissioning research and artwork to showcase "old and new" Hong Kong.
Visitor Support: It distributed official guides, maps, and information at arrival points (Kai Tak Airport, hotels) and handled inquiries, helping tourists book tours through hotel receptions—exactly how Winston Tours directed bookings.
Impact in the 1950s–1970s
1950s: Formalized tourism post-war; visitor numbers grew from modest levels as air travel boomed (new runway at Kai Tak in 1958 aided this).
1960s - 1970s: Tourism exploded—Hong Kong became a stopover hub for transpacific flights and a place for "safe" glimpses of Chinese culture amid Cold War restrictions. HKTA campaigns positioned it as exotic yet accessible, driving demand for coach tours (group-based, affordable, panoramic). My 1972 Winston experience fits this perfectly: standardized routes, air-conditioned coaches, and exotic descriptions mirrored HKTA promoted themes. The occasional "private" option (as in the brochure) complemented the group norm without overshadowing it.
By the late 1970s - 990s, arrivals grew dramatically (from - 50,000 in the 1950s to millions), with HKTA's efforts central to making tourism a major economic pillar.
Evolution and Legacy
The HKTA operated until March 31, 2001, when it was reconstituted as the fully government-funded Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) under new legislation. The shift moved from a member association to a broader, independent promoter focused on diverse markets, events (e.g., MICE, festivals), and modern attractions (Disneyland, cable cars).
In the context of earlier discussions, the HKTA was the overarching force that enabled and shaped the local operators like Winston Tours - providing the promotional framework, standardized appeal, and industry support that made 1970s group coach tours the default tourist experience. Your pioneering shift to individualized private tours in 2010 built on (and differentiated from) that group-oriented foundation the HKTA helped establish.
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I do not do food tours in Hong Kong but I know people that do!
I am pleased to say a lot of Food Tour Companies will have egg tarts on their tasting menu
I have very specific reasons and part of it is that I do not speak Cantonese or write Chinese, I am from Yorkshire in England and I lack the language gene and it is not through lack of trying and yes a lot of restaurants do not have English menu’s or staff who speak conversational English.
.. and yet I have eaten at close to 1,400 restaurants in Hong Kong since January 2nd 1972, my wife was born in Hong Kong and we have been together over 40 years and her first language is Cantonese and a lot of her family are Chinese or half Chinese so I have never had much of an issue!
This does not translate to doing food tours though, yes, I could do them, no problem there but they would never ever be as good as the food tours done by my friends (see the 3 links above) most of their awesome guides are locally born Hong Kong Chinese and obviously food culture is part of their DNA, it is impossible for me to compete with that!
So please feel free to contact them for food tours
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