These Cute, Art-Inspired QR Codes Lead Tourists on Walking Tours in Hong Kong

Central is best known as Hong Kong's business district, but the Hong Kong Tourism Board is trying to get people more interested in it as a place to sightsee and find hidden treasures, like temples, galleries and street food. It grouped the Central district and neighboring Sheung Wan into an area it's calling "Old Town Central."

With Grey Group Hong Kong, it came up with four different walking routes to explore. QR codes have been scattered throughout the district; scanning one with your smartphone brings up a web page with the walking tours and other information for visitors. QR codes are generally pretty hideous, but these are cute -- they're art-inspired. One is in the shape of a traditional tea pot, and another looks like a temple.

The tours are called Tasting Hong Kong, Crazy for Art, Treasure Hunt and Time Traveler (for heritage spots.) The Crazy for Art tour, for example, takes people to galleries but also past street art, like a huge mural of Bruce Lee painted next to a staircase. The heritage tour stops at Man Mo temple and a tailor shop making traditional cheongsam dresses, for anybody taking a cue from the Wong Kar-wai film "In the Mood for Love."