Hong Kong To Give Away 500,000 Plane Tickets

Hong Kong’s government is planning to give away 500,000 airplane tickets in the next few months in an attempt to attract more tourists into the city.

After the coronavirus pandemic, tourism has returned very slowly to Hong Kong. Because the city followed China’s zero-COVID policy, there were strict quarantine laws in place. Last year restrictions were relaxed and in January the border to mainland China was reopened.

The “Hello Hong Kong” campaign was started by the city’s tourism authorities. Starting in March, half a million tickets worth about 250 million dollars will be offered for flights on Hong Kong’s three airlines. The campaign is also designed to help the troubled airlines, which lost most of their revenue in the past three years.

Travelers who want to get a ticket can take part in a lottery starting in March.

Before the pandemic, over 50 million people visited Hong Kong every year. In 2022 , the number had dropped to 100,000. In addition to the “Hello Hong Kong” campaign, the city will also host a total of 250 international events and festivals in an attempt to bring tourists back to the Asian city.