The Hong Kong Tourism Board is planning fam trips and other training opportunities for UK agents to showcase what’s new in the destination now that it has dropped its final Covid travel curbs.
Dawn Page (pictured), UK & Northern Europe director, said: “We have been planning for this opening for the last 18 months-two years.
“The latest news [about the dropping of Covid entry rules] was fantastic.”
She said the tourist board had kept in touch with UK agents throughout the pandemic, with activities such as online training and Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata) quizzes.
“We’re now ramping up and it’s full steam ahead,” she added.
Adela Liew, trade marketing manager, is arranging face-to-face training and the Hong Kong Specialist training programme is being updated to showcase new hotels and attractions.
Fam trips are being arranged – one will take a small group to the Rugby Sevens event in March, and more are planned for later this year.
Page said the tourist board works closely with a range of agency groups and tour operators.
“We are very active with Pata, taking part in Pata Exchange (March 13) and roadshows,” she added.
The UK is Hong Kong’s 10th largest source market, attracting more than half a million visitors a year before Covid.
“The perception is that it has a lot of business travellers but 70-80% are leisure travellers,” said Page.
Cathay Pacific offers four flights a day from Heathrow, plus three times a week from Manchester, and British Airways flies daily from Heathrow, she added.
“We are optimistic – Hong Kong has been one of the last places to open up so it feels like a new destination,” she said.
“There is lots to do, whether it’s stopover traffic – it is a springboard for Brits heading to Australia and New Zealand – or longer stays.
“There is so much to see in a small area. The skyline is iconic but about 70% is green – there are 200 outlying islands.
“You can go for a hike in nature in the morning and have a cocktail on a rooftop in the city in the evening.
“There are Michelin-starred restaurants and street food stalls, and lots of attractions for all sorts of travellers, even families, with the Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland theme parks.”
A global campaign has been launched, called Hello Hong Kong, offering visitors goody bags with vouchers worth HK$100, about £10.
There will also be 500,000 free economy return tickets given away in different regional markets.
Events in 2023 include the Hong Kong Marathon, Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival and New Year Countdown Celebrations.
The Hong Kong Star Ferry celebrates its 125th anniversary in 2023, while one of the world’s oldest funicular railways, the Peak Tram, marks its 135th anniversary and the Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong hotel has its 60th birthday.
New cultural attractions include Arte Museum and Hong Kong Palace Museum.
