The opening ceremony was officiated by Mrs. Gianna Hsu, Chairman of Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, Mr. Zhou Quanlin, Secretary-General of Shenzhen Tourism Association, Ms. Vivian Sum, Commissioner for Tourism, Hon Perry Yiu Pak-leung, LegCo Memebers (Tourism constituency), Mr. Zhang Dong, Director of Asia Tourism Exchange Center, Mr. Dane Cheng, Executive Director of Hong Kong Tourism Board, Mr. Stephen Wong, Strategic Partner of Exhibition Group, Mr. Wong Soon Hwa, PATA Ambassador For Greater China, Ms. Annie Fonda, Executive Director of Travel Industry Authority, Mr. Edward Bell, General Manager in Brand, Insights & Marketing Communications of Cathay Pacific, Mr. Burce Lam, Chief Executive Officer in Consumer of HKT, Mr. Desmond Leung Head of credit cards Standard Chartered, Ms. Helena Chen, Managing Director of Hong Kong & Macau, Mastercard Worldwide, Mr. Carl Wong, Chairman of Exhibition Group and Ms. Shirley Chu, General Manager of Exhibition Group.
The exhibition has received strong support from various stakeholders in the tourism industry, including Cathay Pacific, Klook, KKday, MTR Corporation, Ocean Park, as well as many other well-known and large-scale travel agencies participating. Other business support includes 1010/CSL, Mastercard, Standard Chartered, and over a hundred global hotels and restaurants exhibiting. With the normalization of border crossings, the global post-pandemic travel market is experiencing a surge in demand. In the first quarter of 2023, the number of international tourist arrivals has already recovered to 80% of pre-pandemic levels, with the global tourism industry expected to reach a value of 15.5 trillion US dollars.
Mr. Carl Wong, chairman of the Exhibition Group, states, “Under the ‘revenge travel’ trend, it is evident that citizens have a strong demand for travel products. Hong Kong Holiday and Travel Expo 2024, as the first travel carnival in Hong Kong, perfectly responds to this trend and provides citizens with an excellent opportunity to showcase, experience, and purchase various travel products and services. At the same time, it provides a platform for the industry to reach out to the public. We will continue to collaborate with various sectors to bring more diverse and enriching travel experiences to citizens and visitors and are committed to promoting the future development of the Hong Kong tourism industry.”
The exhibition features several exclusive exhibition areas, including Hong Kong, Japan, Thailand, and Taiwan, where citizens can instantly consume and choose their dream trips to different destinations worldwide. Benefiting from the development of the “Belt and Road Initiative” policy, tourism in cities along the route is also flourishing. The exhibition also features a dedicated Hong Kong Muslim zone, allowing the public to experience Islamic culture through local specialty tours and restaurants. There is also a Recreational Vehicle exhibition area, introducing the rising trend of camping activities and vacation modes in Vanlife. Additionally, in line with the recent government support for opening tourism in Sha Tau Kok, the exhibition will also introduce information on how to apply for entry and the attractions worth visiting in the area.
The exhibition covers the entire travel experience, where the public can find various travel elements at the venue: unexpected travel destinations and deep travel experiences worldwide, themed streets, Instagram-worthy photo spots recommended by influencers, local restaurant collections, authentic local delicacies, traditional cultural performances, trendy cultural experiences, local deep tours, special short-term accommodation offers at local hotels, and more. The event also invites Izumi Soko, Japanese actor in Hong Kong, Jarvis Chow and Chris Leung, famous travel experts, to share their travel experiences and introduce travel tips for destinations such as Tokyo, Tottori, and Turkey, allowing participants to gain a deeper understanding of the local customs and cultures of different destinations, meeting the diverse needs of different groups for travel.
The first 800 visitors each day will receive a free travel Club Sim (4-day data roaming pass) (valued at HK$68). Visitors who purchase tickets at the regular price on-site, present electronic tickets, or exchange free ticket vouchers for admission tickets, will receive a lucky draw ticket. They can fill in their information on the spot and put it into the lucky draw box for a chance to win free theme park tickets, high-speed rail tickets, round-trip air tickets, and hotel accommodation packages. Additionally, a “Mastercard® Card Sign-and-Spend Lucky Draw” will be held at the event. Customers who make payments with a Mastercard card at designated booths in the exhibition hall for every HK$500 spent will have one chance to enter the draw, with two chances for every HK$1000 spent, and so on, with up to 10 chances per invoice. Prizes include free round-trip air tickets and hotel accommodation in Shanghai, Japan, the UK, South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan, and other regions, with a total value of up to HK$2 million. Well-known travel platforms KKday and Klook will also offer various exclusive benefits and travel discounts at the event. KKday will offer travel products and popular attraction tickets for mainland China, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam at discounts as low as 10%, with over 500 selected travel discounts and gifts worth over HK$160,000; Klook will offer buy-one-get-one-free tickets for theme parks in Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan, giving away prizes worth over HK$1 million.
Furthermore, the government places importance on education and youth development, aiming to cultivate young people into a new generation with a love for the country and Hong Kong, possessing a global perspective. Through unremitting effort, with limited resources, educational travel routes most tailored to students’ learning needs are designed to enrich their learning experiences. The “Hong Kong Holiday and Travel Expo 2024” will host the inaugural “Hong Kong Outstanding School Study Tour Awards Presentation” on February 25, commending a total of 128 primary and secondary schools and 40 recommended study tour co-organizers, thanking all parties for actively organizing various study tours, allowing students to broaden their horizons, understand the world, and cultivate a new generation of Hong Kong with a more international perspective.
Hong Kong Holiday and Travel Expo 2024
For more information on ” Hong Kong Holiday and Travel Expo 2024″ , please visit https://www.exhibitiongroup.com.hk/exhibitions/holiday_and_travel2024 or the Facebook and Instagram pages “Hong Kong Holiday and Travel Expo.”
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SOURCE Exhibition Group
