Hong Kong Is Giving Away 500,000 Free Airline Tickets To Boost Tourism
In an effort to attract visitors back to the city.
Hong Kong is looking to boost tourism by announcing plans to give away 500,000 free airline tickets. Since COVID, the city’s tourism industry has struggled to attract tourists and visitors.
The government has officially unveiled the “Hello Hong Kong” initiative, which they have said, has been in the works for over two years. The tickets have been spread amongst Hong Kong’s three major airlines — Cathay Pacific, HK Express, and Hongkong Airlines. Setting aside 500,000 free tickets, the initiative costs the city approximately $254.8 million USD.
A lot has changed in the years of COVID in Hong Kong. During that time, travelers going in and out of Hong Kong had to abide by tedious quarantine restrictions which at its peak, included 21 days of isolation and multiple PCR tests. Prior to the pandemic, Hong Kong saw over 56 million visitors, but by 2022, the number has declined to just about 100,000.
For those interested in a free trip to Hong Kong, potential visitors can visit the World of Winners page to enter into a flight ticket letter starting on March 1. The tickets will be allocated in three waves with March being for those traveling from Southeast Asia, April 1 for Mainland Chinese visitors and May 1 for residents from across the world. Hong Kong local residents will also get a chance to win a free ticket starting on July 1 to gain back lost travel time.
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