HONG KONG Tourism Board’s first in-person seminar amid Covid restrictions saw more than 40 meetings and incentive travel executives gather in Guangzhou to learn about their southern neighbour’s latest initiatives and destination updates.
Tourism chiefs say the event’s success shows there is pent-up demand from mainland China to visit Hong Kong’s new attractions and to create packages for business event delegates as the pandemic comes under control in the region.
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Delegates attending the event in the Guangdong provincial capital pointed to China’s 14th Five Year Plan, which was drafted last October and expresses a need to combine tourism and culture, and the Greater Bay Area development as two of the reasons for organisers in southern China wanting to work closely with Hong Kong.
“To the mainland market, Hong Kong is more than a short-haul destination offering good value for money and ease of itinerary planning,” said Kenneth Wong, Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB)’s general manager, MICE & Cruise and regional director for Europe.
New attractions and experiences featured at the event included:
– Hong Kong first Legoland Discovery Centre, at K11 Musea, in Tsim Sha Tsui, and Monopoly Dreams, at The Peak visitor centre;
– A revamped Ocean Park featuring the new water park, hotels and retail-dining outlets;
– Hong Kong Disneyland’s Castle of Magical Dreams;
– The Grounds, a large outdoor entertainment space with panoramic views of Victoria Harbour;
– Newly opened hotels including Rosewood, Sheraton Tung Chung and Hotel Alexandria.
“The superb infrastructure and diversified tourism resources also make the city an ideal destination in its own right.
“Given the pent-up demand for new attractions, unique experiences and flexible itinerary arrangements, Hong Kong is going all out with fresh, sensory experiences for MICE travellers,” Wong said.
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Zoe Lo, HKTB’s regional director for mainland China, said: “Against the backdrop of the launch of National Fourteenth Five-Year Plan and the ‘Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area Development Plan Outline’, we are working closely with industry players on the mainland, especially those from the Greater Bay Area cities, to promote multi-destination itineraries.
“We will also step up efforts to position the Greater Bay Area as a world-class tourist destination,” she said.
