Free Flights Alert: Hong Kong Is Giving Away 500,000 Plane Tickets to Entice Tourists to Visit in 2023
From March, three airlines will hand out free tickets to Hong Kong — and visitors can also nab drink, dining, shopping and transport vouchers.
Whatever holiday plans you already have for 2023, you might want to change them — or add another getaway to your itinerary. As part of its efforts to kickstart its pandemic-era tourism industry, Hong Kong has announced a massive airfare giveaway to entice visitors to make the trip. You know what to do: clear your calendar, check your annual leave balance and dust off your suitcase.
From March–May, the Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Airport Authority Hong Kong will team up with three local airlines — Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong Express and Hong Kong Airlines — to hand out 500,000 free airline tickets. While many of the specifics are still to be revealed, the giveaway is being called 'World of Winners' and will focus on tickets from southeast Asia in March, then from mainland China in April, and finally from northeast Asia and the rest of the world in May.
That's when the fares will be up for grabs. When you'll need to travel is still to be confirmed. To nab tickets, you'll need to hop over to either the World of Winners website or each airline's designated page — and each carrier might do their giveaways differently. So, some free tickets might be available via a lucky draw and others on a first-come-first-served basis, or a buy-one-get-one-free arrangement could apply.
Hong Kong Tourism Board
Free flights are just one aspect of an overall global promotional campaign named 'Hello Hong Kong'. Another: free drink, dining, shopping and transport vouchers, with at least a million up for grabs from 16,000-plus outlets. Dubbed 'Hong Kong Goodies', these freebies will be available to folks visiting Hong Kong for 90 days or less — and you'll have to pick just one offer.
So, you can choose between a welcome drink valued at more than HK$100 at one of more than 100 bars, restaurants and hotels; a HK$100 cash voucher to use at 140-plus restaurants, shops or attractions; or a gift worth more than HK$100 at a heap of Hong Kong attractions and museums. With the current exchange rate, whichever of these three goodies you pick equates to around AU$18 / NZ$20 — but it's still a freebie.
Hong Kong Tourism Board
There are caveats for these vouchers, of course. First, you have have to have a non-Hong Kong mobile number to obtain them — and, at the moment, they have to be collected from a Hong Kong Tourism Board Visitor Centre once you're there. That said, more redemption methods are set to be added.
Visitors to Hong Kong have until December 31, 2023 to collect their goodies — and once you have chosen your coupon, you can't swap it.
"Hong Kong is back on the map for global travellers, with more excitement to offer than ever before. We are extending a biggest welcome to the world through the 'Hello Hong Kong' campaign, inviting friends from everywhere as they return to one of the world's greatest tourism destinations," said Hong Kong Tourism Board Chairman Dr Pang Yiu-ka.
"I am confident that Hong Kong's vibrant east-meets-west culture, together with our iconic and brand-new attractions and immersive experiences will attract travellers back for an epic, unforgettable journey."
For folks living in Hong Kong, the Tourism Board's new promo scheme will also include additional free flights to locals holidaying outside of the country, but not until July. In total, more than 700,000 airfares will be handed out to overseas visitors and Hong Kong residents.
For more information about Hong Kong's World of Winners flights giveaway, head to the initiative's website. For more information about the 'Hong Kong Goodies' vouchers, head to that scheme's website.
Top image: Hong Kong Tourism Board.
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