Hong Kong will waive tickets for tourists to boost the economy. (Represent)
Hong Kong will start giving away 500,000 airline tickets from Wednesday to attract tourists and boost its growing economy, even as it finally abolishes the mandatory mask wearing requirement.
Tickets will be distributed by the city’s airlines – Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd. and budget unit HK Express, as well as Hong Kong Airlines Ltd. and the new Greater Bay Airlines Co.
Who got them first?
Resident in Thailand, initially. Cathay will issue 80,000 return tickets in March, starting Wednesday with 17,400 tickets allotted to Thailand. It will then extend funding to Singapore and the Philippines later this week and other nearby Asian countries in the following days.
| Cathay’s Free Calendar | Number of tickets | |
|---|---|---|
| Thailand | From March 1 | 17,400 |
| Singapore | March 28 | 12,500 |
| Philippines | March 3 – 9 | 20,400 |
| Indonesia | March 15 – 21 | 11.510 |
| Malaysia | March 16 – 22 | 7,000 won |
| Vietnam | March 17 – 23 | 8,800 |
| Cambodia | March 18 – 24 |
2.390 |
Hong Kong Airlines will also distribute tickets from Wednesday to residents of Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam. The airline has not revealed how many tickets will be distributed for each country. Greater Bay Airlines will release tickets to Taiwan in May, then South Korea in July. HK Express will join the campaign in April but has not revealed details.
Free tickets will open to mainland China residents in April. About 80,000 tickets will be made available to Hong Kong residents in July, although it is unclear what routes they will be valid for. Authorities also did not give reasons for the different timelines and orders of distribution.
How to register?
Cathay asks people to register on their website and take a quiz with three questions. Tickets will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis to those who answer correctly. Each applicant can only submit one entry. The winners will be announced on the campaign website on April 3 and receive a confirmation email the same day.
Hong Kong Airlines will also issue tickets on a first-come, first-served basis. It has released app details on its campaign page.
Who is eligible and other terms and conditions?
Cathay said entrants must be 18 years of age or older, and each winner can only receive one ticket. Winners still need to pay taxes and surcharges, and tickets are non-refundable, cashable or transferable. You also cannot upgrade with cash or frequent flyer miles.
Does the ticket expire?
Yes, according to Cathay. The winner will receive a unique code via email when the redemption period begins. That must then be used within a month to get a ticket.
Cathay said when booking, the minimum stay in Hong Kong is two days and the maximum is seven days. Winners are required to travel within nine months of receiving an email containing the redemption code. The reset fee is HK$1,200 ($150).
Why is Hong Kong doing this?
Tourism has traditionally been a major contributor to Hong Kong’s budget, but three years of restrictions due to Covid-19 left the city virtually closed to the outside world and took a toll on the economy, making it lagging behind rival center Singapore.
Hong Kong’s economy sh with initial government estimates.
The ticket giveaway is part of a “Hello Hong Kong” campaign to promote the city as a tourist hub and attract returning visitors. The Hong Kong Airport Authority purchased tickets in 2020 as part of a HK$2 billion rescue package for the aviation industry. Click here for more information from the Airport Authority.
(Except for the title, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from an aggregated feed.)
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