The Hong Kong Tourism Board is encouraging arrivals by promising to give away half a million plane tickets to international visitors in a new campaign that kicks off on March 1.
While Hong Kong’s borders reopened in mid-January, the return of tourist arrivals has been sluggish. It was only in December that Hong Kong ended social distancing, mandatory proof of vaccination and testing requirements for international visitors after aligning itself with mainland China’s zero-COVID strategy during the pandemic.
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Now, the tourism board hopes a new plan, “Hello Hong Kong,” will entice visitors to return. Over the next six months, Hong Kong chief executive John Lee said 500,000 free round-trip airline tickets will be up for grabs to tourists in what he called “probably the world’s biggest welcome ever.”
All year long, events and festivals – such as Art Basel and the Dragon Boat Festival – will take place, and visitors will be eligible for discounts on food, drink, attraction admissions, accommodation and transport.
What are airlines taking part in the promotion?
Cathay Pacific, HK Express, Greater Bay Airlines and Hong Kong Airlines are all participating in the campaign, which will run over six months, with tickets released in phases. The first phase launches on March 1.
How can I get a free airline ticket to Hong Kong?
You can enter your name into the flight-ticket lottery on the Hong Kong Airport website, or register via the participating airlines’ websites. According to the tourism board, tickets will be awarded through a lottery system, or on a first come, first serve basis and buy-one-get-one-free purchases, so nothing is guaranteed. It’s the luck of the draw in most cases.
The first phase, launching on March 1, is open to residents across Southeast Asia. From April 1, people living in mainland China can apply, with the giveaway opening up to travelers in Europe, the United States and the rest of the world on May 1. Locals in Hong Kong can also get in on the action when an additional 80,000 free outbound tickets get offered to them in July.
The campaign covers airfare on round-trip economy-class flights. It’s important to note that if you win, you’ll still have to pay any related surcharges, fees and taxes.
What discounts can I receive?
Arriving tourists will receive a welcome pack when they land in Hong Kong Airport that will give them discounts across 1500 attractions and services in the city.
In a statement, the Hong Kong Tourism Board said that at least 1 million “Hong Kong Goodies” vouchers of value over HK$100 each would be given out to visitors, covering a complimentary welcome drink at participating bars, restaurants and hotels, or a cash voucher that can be redeemed against costs for local transport, accommodation and tourist attractions.
You can collect your welcome pack with vouchers from tourist-information desks in the arrival hall of Hong Kong Airport, as well as at the visitor desks at West Kowloon High-Speed Rail Station, Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Piers and the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge.
If I do go to Hong Kong, what events should I plan to see?
Hong Kong has planned about 250 events and festivals to tie in with the tourism campaign. Highlights include the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, the Hong Kong Open, the Dragon Boat Festival and the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens.
When it comes to art, you can see the largest retrospective of Yayoi Kusama’s work in Asia (outside Japan) at the newly opened M+ museum (until September 2023). There’s also Art Basel to look forward to at the end of March. And in July, the Palace Museum will host an opening exhibition featuring 900 pieces, some on loan from the Louvre in Paris and others on display for the first time.
Will this campaign give tourism the boost it needs in Hong Kong?
Hong Kong had been struggling to attract tourists even before the pandemic began. In 2019, the city was plunged into a recession after a series of widespread pro-democracy protests against the mainland government’s increasing control over civic life in Hong Kong brought the territory to a standstill.
Police cracked down, sometimes violently, and in 2020 China imposed a wide-ranging national security law that effectively silenced demonstrations and limited free speech. Hundreds of protestors and activists were arrested, including minors – and many visitors stayed away, with Hong Kong receiving 10 million fewer tourists in 2019 compared to the previous year. When tourist expenditure stalled, related industries including retail and hospital took a battering—small-business owners even took to social media to appeal to people to visit their stores.
Speaking at a press conference after the launch of “Hello Hong Kong,” Chief Executive John Lee said that Hong Kong is now ready to welcome tourists. The city has removed inbound travel restrictions and the long-running mask mandate will end on March 1. Whether the campaign will generate enough interest to bring tourism back to pre-protest and pre-pandemic levels remains to be seen.
