Hong Kong, officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China was closed for around the last three years in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, it has gradually started opening for people after it dropped most of the curbs in December last week. In order to revive its tourism industry and attract visitors from all around the world, Hong Kong launched the global promotional campaign “Hello Hong Kong” on Thursday with dancers and flashing neon lights in the city’s main convention centre beside its famous harbour, with a backdrop carrying the slogan in various languages, including Russian and Spanish.
The promotion campaign will include 500,000 free flights as well as city-wide offers covering “Hong Kong Goodies” visitor consumption vouchers to lure visitors, businesses, and investors back to the financial hub and experience Hong Kong’s diverse appeals.
Unveiling the “Hello Hong Kong” campaign, city’s leader John Lee said the campaign would show the city was open for tourism and was aimed at boosting business and investment in the Chinese special administrative region.
“Hong Kong is now connected to mainland China and the whole international world, and there will be no isolation, no quarantine, and no restrictions on experiencing … enjoying the hustle and bustle of Asia’s world city,” he added.
Taking to Twitter, Hong Kong Tourism Board wrote, “Hello, Hong Kong!” We’re ready to welcome you back. Let’s follow Hong Kong stars like Aaron Kwok & Sammi Cheng to explore the city! We will also be giving away 500,000 free air tickets and vouchers to enjoy a welcome drink!”
“The “Hello Hong Kong” promotional campaign is being rolled out worldwide today to send the positive message that Hong Kong is back with signature and new exciting experiences awaiting visitors, in light of the lifting of all entry restrictions to Hong Kong,” said HKTB Executive Director, Dane Cheng.
The campaign includes a series of vibrant promotional content, which will be broadcast on 3,000 platforms worldwide. A series of thematic videos will feature business leaders, social influencers, Hong Kong Super Fans, and Hong Kong celebrities including Cantopop legends Aaron Kwok, Sammi Cheng, and Kelly Chen, showcasing the city’s array of thrilling new experiences, said the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
To entice globetrotters to embark on a long-awaited visit to Hong Kong, 500,000 free tickets will be given away by the Airport Authority Hong Kong to different markets in phases, through three home-based carriers namely Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong Express, and Hong Kong Airlines, starting from March, added the board.
An array of enticing welcoming offers from over 16,000 outlets across the city have been put together by the HKTB and the tourism and hospitality sectors to welcome back visitors. Among which, at the initial stage, at least 1 million “Hong Kong Goodies” visitor consumption vouchers of value over HK$100 each will be given out, covering a complimentary welcome drink at participating bars, restaurants, and hotels, or a cash voucher to be redeemed in the transportation, culinary and retail sectors, and attractions, said the Tourism Board.
Tickets will be spread out among the city’s three airlines – Cathay Pacific, HK Express, and Hongkong Airlines. The 500,000 tickets cost the city about $254.8 million in total.
How to avail the tickets?
Travelers wishing to travel to Hong Kong can visit the World of Winners splash page starting March 1 to enter their names into the flight ticket lottery.
The entire process has been divided into three parts, targeting different regions. From March 1, it will be open to people across Southeast Asia, from April 1 for those living in mainland China and from May 1 for residents in the rest of the world.
The residents of Hong Kong can also avail the offer from July 1, when some airline tickets will be given away to the locals.
