In an effort to increase tourism in the city, the Hong Kong government has offered 500,000 free plane tickets to travelers from around the globe. The campaign is called “Hello Hong Kong.” The action was taken after the city saw a decline in tourism as a result of travel restrictions related to the coronavirus.
In order to draw tourists to the city and expose them to its rich culture, the government is also giving away gifts and providing coupons.
Algernon Yau Ying Wah, the secretary for commerce and economic development in Hong Kong, has also extended an invitation to UAE citizens. According to him, after the tourism board’s approval, people who purchase tickets from Dubai will receive free return tickets.
Over $254 million will be spent by Hong Kong on the 500,000 tickets. It expects to draw a large number of visitors from the UAE and the Middle East. Around 56 million tourists visited Hong Kong annually before the pandemic. But The figure dropped to 100,000 by 2022.
Three airlines operating out of Hong Kong—Cathay Pacific, HK Express, and Hong Kong Airlines—will offer free tickets. On the ‘World of Winners’ portal on the Hong Kong Airport website, UAE visitors can start entering the flight ticket lottery as of March 1.
Tickets will be distributed in three stages, beginning on March 1 in Southeast Asia, April 1 in China, and May 1 in the remainder of the world.
