Once upon a time, in the fishing village of Lei Yue Mun in Hong Kong, tourists and citizens can now experience the rich history of the area through a new app called 'City in Time'. Developed by the School of Creative Media at City University and commissioned by the Tourism Commission, the app features 360-degree augmented reality anime with text introductions and audio narration. It allows users to view historical scenes in six designated photo spots in Lei Yue Mun, including themes on the fishing village's cultural development, the seafood and quarrying industries, and changes in sea transportation. The project, which began in 2021, has expanded to include 28 historical locations across Central, The Peak, Tsim Sha Tsui, Sham Shui Po, Yau Ma Tei, Jordan, and now Lei Yue Mun. Users can take selfies with historical buildings and scenes, apply filters, and record videos, providing a unique and immersive experience of the village's past [70910a39].
The 'City in Time' app aims to introduce non-traditional tourist spots and provide visitors with a fresh traveling experience. The project manager, Alan Leung Wai-lun, plans to expand the app to include Tai Hang and Kowloon City in the future. The app has received positive feedback from locals, including Stephen Law, the managing director of Gateway Cuisine, a seafood restaurant in Lei Yue Mun. Law welcomes the project and expects it to attract more visitors to the village. He also hopes that the government will enhance publicity and improve tourism-supporting facilities for the Lei Yue Mun waterfront promenade and public landing facility, which are currently under construction. With the 'City in Time' app, Lei Yue Mun is set to become a must-visit destination for those interested in exploring the cultural heritage and history of Hong Kong's fishing villages [70910a39].