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Prior to the pandemic, Hong Kong welcomed approximately 56 million visitors annually. Now, after enduring some of the world’s strictest travel restrictions for over two years, the popular destination is taking significant measures to attract tourists once again.
Just days after eliminating its long-standing mandatory hotel quarantine requirement, Hong Kong has announced plans to give away half a million airline tickets as part of an effort to boost tourism.
The initiative, originally announced two years ago, was confirmed by a spokesperson from the Airport Authority Hong Kong (AAHK) in an interview with CNN. The spokesperson stated that these 500,000 tickets, valued at approximately $254.8 million, will be distributed to both international visitors and local residents.
“In 2020, the Airport Authority Hong Kong purchased a significant number of air tickets in advance from local airlines as part of an industry support package,” the spokesperson explained. “This purchase injected liquidity into the airlines upfront, and now these tickets will be given away to global visitors and Hong Kong residents as part of the market recovery campaign.”
Further details regarding the ticket distribution will be announced once arrangements have been finalized with the airlines, according to the spokesperson.
Additional information about the ticket giveaway will be provided once arrangements have been made with the participating airlines.
Hong Kong has been largely isolated from the rest of the world due to its Covid-19 quarantine measures, which previously required incoming travelers to spend 21 days in hotel quarantine at their own expense. Initially, only Hong Kong residents were allowed entry.
However, as of September 26, the hotel quarantine requirement has been officially lifted, resulting in a surge of bookings from residents eager to travel. It should be noted that certain rules and restrictions still apply to visitors arriving in Hong Kong.
Cathay Pacific, the flagship airline of Hong Kong, implemented a virtual “waiting room” for access to its website due to the high demand. Additionally, online travel booking service Expedia reported a significant increase in searches for flights from Hong Kong to Tokyo and Osaka. However, interest in flights to Hong Kong remained stagnant, according to Lavinia Rajaram, Expedia’s Asia head of public relations.
“We aim to provide ample opportunities for reestablishing connections and revitalizing our economy,” stated Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee during a press conference held on Friday.
However, even with the removal of hotel quarantine, visitors to Hong Kong still need to adhere to various rules and restrictions before and after arrival.
Before entering Hong Kong, international travelers must provide proof of vaccination, as well as negative results from both a PCR test and a rapid antigen test
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