Hong Kong to woo back visitors with free flights, after three years of Covid-19 curbs

Hong Kong leader John Lee on Thursday unveiled a promotion campaign that will include 500,000 free flights to woo back visitors, businesses and investors to the financial hub after more than three years of tough Covid-19 curbs. The “Hello, Hong Kong” campaign was launched with dancers and flashing neon lights in the city’s main convention centre, next to its famous harbour, with a backdrop bearing the slogan in various languages, including Russian and Spanish. Lee, Hong Kong’s CE, said the campaign would show that the city is open for tourism, and is aimed at boosting business and investment in the Chinese special administrative region. “Hong Kong is now connected to mainland China and the whole international world, and there will be no isolation, no quarantine and no restrictions on experiencing... enjoying the hustle and bustle of Asia’s world city,” Lee said. He added that Hong Kong would host sports and cultural events and highlight attractions such as The Palace Museum and M+ museum, as well as a revamped Peak Tram with special vouchers. Celebrities, officials and business executives were featured in promotional videos streamed during the ceremony, with plans for them to be used to promote the city. “We have to let outsiders know that Hong Kong has a unique status, especially when the ‘one country, two systems’ principle will be implemented in Hong Kong for a long time,” Lee said. The free flight tickets will be distributed to overseas visitors for six months, starting from March 1, with airlines Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong Express and Hong Kong Airlines receiving them.<br/>