Hong Kong – The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), in partnership with Grey Hong Kong, has unveiled the ‘Endless Joy’ float, a vibrant tribute to the city’s unique fusion of tradition and modernity, just in time for the Lunar New Year celebrations.

The ‘Endless Joy’ float captures the festive spirit of the Year of the Snake, representing interconnected blessings and prosperity for all. Showcasing Hong Kong’s iconic skyline, it features snake-shaped elements and rings inspired by the Chinese Knot, symbolising unity and boundless joy.

The centrepiece of the float is a large LED lantern featuring a video collaboration with renowned artist Sija Hong. Her work combines traditional Chinese motifs with modern art, showcasing familiar Hong Kong scenes like temples, horse racing, the wishing tree, and flower markets.

The float also displays Hong’s vibrant illustrations and unique style. Her cultural perspective shines through, blending modern colours with detailed craftsmanship to celebrate Hong Kong’s heritage and innovation.

Samantha Fan, general manager of marketing at HKTB, said, “This collaboration reflects Hong Kong’s spirit—where East meets West, and tradition embraces modernity. We wanted to showcase the city’s cultural diversity while infusing the float with creativity and joy, inviting everyone to celebrate an unforgettable Lunar New Year with us.”

Desmond Li, executive director at Grey Hong Kong, also commented, “The Year of the Snake offers an incredible opportunity to reimagine how we celebrate the Lunar New Year. By combining traditional symbols with modern artistry, we’ve created a float that not only honours Hong Kong’s heritage but also sparks a sense of wonder and excitement for all audiences.”

The ‘Endless Joy’ float will be a highlight of the city’s Lunar New Year celebrations, bringing festive cheer to locals and visitors. Its intricate design showcases Hong Kong’s unique traditions and creative spirit, ensuring a memorable experience for all.

Hong Kong – The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), in partnership with Grey Hong Kong, Hongkong Post, and Carat Hong Kong, has infused WinterFest with a vibrant twist, transforming everyday icons into festive delights that aim to spread joy across the city.

Winter in Hong Kong has long been marked by dazzling lights, stunning skylines, and festive decor. This year, fresh excitement fills the air as ordinary sights are transformed into joyful surprises.

Rick Kwan, executive creative director of Grey Hong Kong, said, “Winter is a time for joy and connection, and WinterFest is about bringing a new kind of surprise to the traditional holiday season. We wanted to capture the beauty of Hong Kong’s traditions while showing how even everyday sights, like mailboxes and trams, can spark wonder when reimagined.”

This year, WinterFest takes a fresh approach as HKTB gives iconic city sights a festive makeover. Hongkong Post’s mailboxes transform into ‘Postmas Trees,’ while the tram’s signature ‘ding-ding’ becomes a joyful jingle. Even classic postcards, enhanced with festive filters, offer a new perspective on Hong Kong’s dazzling lights and winter magic.

“We wanted to bring out the unique charm of Hong Kong and spread festive joy around town through WinterFest. And thanks to the first-ever collaboration with Hongkong Post, we could weave festive delights throughout the city’s iconic staples, celebrating Hong Kong’s creativity and making it extra cheerful this season,” said Samantha Fan, general manager for marketing at Hong Kong Tourism Board.

Polly Ip, business director at Carat Hong Kong, added, “We are excited to collaborate again with the Hong Kong Tourism Board and Grey to create an authentic festive vibe unique to Hong Kong. With insights indicating that over 60% of travellers prefer to share enjoyable live experiences during the holiday season, our goal is to offer visitors an unforgettable experience. By illuminating the city and showcasing our distinctive festive charm, we aim to create lasting value for all in this joyful season.”

Macao – The Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) have launched a joint marketing campaign featuring TV program productions to showcase the Greater Bay Area as a premier destination for Southeast Asian tourists.

Titled ‘Hashtag Travelog,’ the program will star Korean boy band CIX, who visited Macao and Hong Kong for filming, alongside Malaysian artists Danny Koo and Jordan Sen, who joined the production in Guangzhou and Jiangmen, Guangdong.

The new program aims to enhance the Greater Bay Area’s appeal and visibility in the Southeast Asian market, supporting efforts to attract international visitors.

Consisting of four episodes, ‘Hashtag Travelog’ will feature Macao in two episodes and highlight Guangdong and Hong Kong in the remaining two. Through celebrity-led tours and fun challenges, the show invites audiences to explore the vibrant attractions of the Greater Bay Area, inspiring them to experience the region firsthand.

‘Hashtag Travelog’ is set to premiere on 9 December, airing on tvN Asia channels across eight countries and regions, including Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Myanmar, the Maldives, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The program will also be available on Thailand’s TrueID channel and the Viu OTT platform.

The travelogue’s debut will be supported by a range of promotional activities, including video content and social media campaigns across the travelogue’s, celebrities’, and tvN Asia’s platforms, leveraging the power of social networks for wider reach and visibility.

“Leveraging the impact of Korean and Malaysian celebrities in the Southeast Asia market, the show will build the Greater Bay Area’s reputation as a fascinating destination,” MGTO wrote in their official press release. 

“Through the cooperative mechanism enabled by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Tourism Marketing Organization, MGTO has forged close communication and collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Tourism Board all along. The three offices work together to promote sharing of tourism resources and brand the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area as one great destination,” the press release added. 

The tourism offices of Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao continue their collaborative marketing efforts, hosting joint booths at international travel fairs, organising promotional events, producing TV programs, and arranging familiarisation trips to expand international visitation. Earlier this year, a Canadian TV production filmed a travelogue about the Greater Bay Area while Indonesian celebrities visited in July for the show ‘Celebrity on Vacation,’ showcasing the region’s diverse travel experiences.

Singapore – Traveloka, a key travel platform serving the Southeast Asia region, has teamed up with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to expand travel experiences in the region. The collaboration comes at a time when Hong Kong’s tourism sector is experiencing a resurgence following the reopening of international borders.

To capitalise on this growing interest in Hong Kong, Traveloka is offering travel deals through its app that encompass flights, hotels, and other travel activities.

Moreover, the collaboration between Traveloka and HKTB aims to strengthen Traveloka’s position as a travel partner in Southeast Asia while promoting Hong Kong as a premier destination for travellers from the region.

Caesar Indra, president at Traveloka, highlighted the significance of this partnership, noting the increasing popularity of Hong Kong among travellers using the platform.

“Hong Kong is among the popular destinations on our platform, with sales of flight tickets to the city almost quadrupling in the fourth quarter of 2023 compared to the same period last year.” He emphasised that the collaboration with HKTB would further promote global destinations and encourage travellers to explore new experiences.”

Meanwhile, Liew Chian Jia, regional director of Southeast Asia at Hong Kong Tourism Board, emphasised the importance of partnering with Traveloka to enhance Hong Kong’s tourism potential. She also expressed aspirations to attract more travellers from Southeast Asia to explore Hong Kong and contribute positively to the aviation and hospitality industries in the region.

Hong Kong – ‘Design District Hong Kong’ (#ddHK), a creative tourism project organised by the Tourism Commission of Hong Kong, will make its return in mid-August 2023. 

Curated by Way of Difference, this year’s event seeks to engage international and local creative units to liven up Hong Kong with their creativity and artistry, revamping a local neighbourhood and bringing new travel experiences to tourists and locals alike.

Under the theme ‘Vivid Tsuen Wan’, this year’s #ddHK will lead visitors to explore Tsuen Wan, a newly emerging destination in Hong Kong with multi-faceted characters evolved in an organic manner.  

Continuing its mission to create new travel experiences through design and creativity, #ddHK will bring together seven internationally and locally renowned creative units to tailor-make unique and colourful time-limited public art installations for Tsuen Wan. 

The participating creative units will be including creative art duo Craig & Karl (USA and UK), painter and illustrator Andy Rementer (USA), textile designer Masaru Suzuki (Japan), painter and sculptor Kila Cheung (Hong Kong), graphic designer Katol Lo (Hong Kong), installation design unit KaCaMa (Hong Kong) and ecological art and design unit Seika Studio (Hong Kong).

The art installations provided by the #ddHK artists aim to introduce the local characteristics of Tsuen Wan through innovations, to attract visitors to venture and experience the diversity and uniqueness of the neighbourhood. Various activities will also be organised through cross-sector collaboration, ranging from free themed tours, live performances to art and cultural workshops, and more.

Hong Kong – Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), a government-subvented body tasked to market and promote Hong Kong as a travel destination worldwide, has appointed dentsu as its global media partner for Asia Pacific, Europe and North America, effective immediately.

Under the partnership, dentsu will work closely with HKTB globally to develop global communications strategy, media planning and buying, as well as support HKTB’s head office and worldwide offices.

Additionally, dentsu is also tasked with developing integrated campaigns to drive creative, production and KOL campaigns, utilising different channels to enrich visitor experiences and create business opportunities for travel-related sectors.

“Winning a global account based out of Asia Pacific is a huge testament to the expertise and insight of the local team as well as to our unique offering of a ‘one-stop’ integrated agency with a close network across the globe,” said Prerna Mehrotra, CEO of dentsu Media APAC.

Mehrotra added, “This win follows closely on the back of our recent win of foodpanda in the region – which was expanded from our remit in Taiwan, and demonstrates a steady trajectory of confidence and strength. This is a positive momentum that we will continue to work hard towards to stay on track of.”

Simone Tam, CEO of dentsu Hong Kong, also said, “We are very excited to be partnering with HKTB to promote Hong Kong to travellers around the world. Knowing what we will do will help to contribute to Hong Kong’s reputation and prosperity make it both exciting and meaningful.”

Meanwhile, Anson Hung, digital marketing director of Hong Kong Tourism Board, said that they feel confident that the dentsu team’s extensive industry knowledge and innovative approach will make them an excellent partner to help the board achieve its strategic goals. 

“We are excited to collaborate with them in creating memorable campaigns that truly resonate with our target audience,” Hung concluded. 

The partnership follows dentsu’s expanded remit with foodpanda targeted at supporting its media transformation journey.

Jakarta, Indonesia – Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB)’s regional office in Singapore has appointed Klareco Communications as its public relations agency in Indonesia for two years. Through the mandate, Klareco Communications and HKTB SG office will work together to promote Hong Kong’s tourism and maintain its destination appeal amongst Indonesians.

In addition, Klareco Communications will work closely with HKTB on three key agendas in Indonesia including ‘Art & Culture Tourism’, ‘Green Tourism’, and ‘Indulge in Hong Kong’, a program specifically to highlight Hong Kong’s luxury offerings and indulgent experiences.

Raymond Chan, regional director for Southeast Asia at HKTB, said, “Hong Kong has had a lot of new tourism developments in the last three years, such as the reopening of Hong Kong Art Museum and the opening of the West Kowloon Cultural District, including M+ and Hong Kong Palace Museum, and many more. We look forward to working with Klareco in promoting these new experiences to Indonesians.” 

He added, “Klareco Communications demonstrated its experience and deep understanding of Indonesian tourism preferences. We are confident that the Klareco Communications Indonesia team will bring on board their creativity and experience to elevate Hong Kong’s overall image in Indonesia.”

Meanwhile, Ang Shih-Huei, CEO and co-founder at Klareco Communications, commented, “We are honoured to be entrusted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board SG Office to introduce authentic Hong Kong stories and new experiences to Indonesian tourists. The revival of the tourism sector is one of the most exciting challenges in the post-pandemic era and we look forward to working with HKTB to promote new offerings in Hong Kong that are waiting for Indonesians to discover and enjoy.”

HKTB SG Office and Klareco will also be working on a series of strategic plans as part of Hong Kong’s tourism revival plan for the Indonesian market. Indonesians can look forward to being inspired and visit Hong Kong when borders reopen.

HKTB recently launched its global campaign, ‘Arts in Hong Kong’, as Hong Kong attempts to showcase the city’s extraordinary and enduring appeal as an arts and cultural hub. As an extension of this campaign, HKTB has collaborated with several Indonesian artists from various genres to create exciting Hong Kong-inspired artworks that Indonesians can look forward to. 

Hong Kong – The Hong Kong Tourism Board is launching its Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival by means of offering an “offline + online format” to local and international audiences and will run from November 11 to December 15.

The Wine and Dine Festival will feature four notable events, which range from cooking masterclass and wine tasting discussions.

The first of these events would be 34 online masterclasses, catered directly to global audiences. Topics ranging from wine tasting, food plating, and fine dining will be tackled and can be accessed directly from the festival’s official website during live streams by the organizers of the festival.

Second of these events would be livestream cook-along lessons, which will include mentorship from Executive Chef Adam Wong of Forum Restaurant, Shane Osborn of Arcane and Cornerstone, and Vicky Cheng of VEA Restaurant & Lounge.

For wine lovers, audiences can tune to wine talks presented by critic James Suckling and Master of Wine Debra Meiburg, wherein they will share new wine recommendations.

Lastly, five masterclasses will be hosted by influencers that shaped the local food and beverage industry, under the theme Lady’s Talk. The classes will be hosted by Shirley Kwok of The Cakery, Head Chef Vicky Lau of TATE Dining Room, sake sommelier Jamie Lo, Master of Wine Sarah Heller, and actress-turned-winemaker Bernice Liu. 

“Although the HKTB’s mega events have been suspended for some time, we are drawing on our ingenuity and resources to optimize and adapt promotions against the backdrop of a pandemic. That’s why we have decided to resume the staging of mega events, and adopt a new ‘online + offline’ format for the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2020. It is a new venture designed for the new normal in which we find ourselves. The HKTB is doing this to ensure people can join this annual event in spite of the pandemic, and to help our hard-hit businesses to promote their products and open up new business opportunities in these challenging times,” HKTB Chairman Dr. YK Pang stated.