Hong Kong Gives Away 500,000 Free Flight Tickets

Hong Kong is giving away 500,000 airline tickets in an effort to entice tourists to return to the region. In recent months, the city has eased COVID travel restrictions, including mandatory isolation upon arrival.

It is now hoping to recover from the devastating impact of the pandemic on its tourism industry. Hong Kong’s plan also includes giving away 500,000 airline tickets worth more than €250 million.

Dane Cheng, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, told the BBC in October that the free tickets were initially purchased to assist airlines during the pandemic.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee launched the $2 billion (€1.8 billion) ‘Hello Hong Kong’ campaign on Wednesday (1 February), with the flight ticket giveaway beginning on March 1.

Before the pandemic, Hong Kong received 56 million visitors in 2019 – more than seven times its population. However, its strict COVID restrictions have kept visitors away for the past three years, wreaking havoc on the tourism sector and the economy. According to preliminary government data, the city’s GDP fell 3.5% last year compared to 2021.

How will the free ticket scheme in Hong Kong work?

The giveaway will begin on March 1 and will last about six months, with tickets distributed in stages.

According to Fred Lam Tin-fuk, CEO of the Airport Authority Hong Kong, the free tickets will be distributed by Hong Kong-based airlines Cathay Pacific, HK Express, and Hong Kong Airlines.

According to Time Out Hong Kong, tickets will be distributed gradually on the airlines’ overseas platforms, beginning with Southeast Asian countries and progressing to mainland China and Northeastern Asia.

In the summer, another 80,000 free air tickets will be distributed to Hong Kong residents, with another 80,000 distributed to those living in the Greater Bay Area.

Visitors can also take advantage of special offers, vouchers, and other incentives in the city.

One million vouchers worth more than HKD100 (€11.60) each will provide discounts on food, drinks, transportation, hotels, retail, and attractions. According to Time Out Hong Kong, they will be distributed at tourist inquiry counters located at four border checkpoints beginning at 5 p.m. on February 2.

Throughout 2023, the city will also host over 250 events and festivals, including the Hong Kong Marathon, Clockenflap music festival, Art Basel, and Hong Kong Rugby Sevens.

What are the Hong Kong entry requirements?

Throughout the pandemic, Hong Kong had some of the strictest travel regulations.

The city has largely aligned itself with mainland China’s ‘zero-COVID’ strategy and has relaxed entry rules months later than competitors such as Singapore, Japan, and Taiwan.

The mandatory quarantine upon arrival was abolished in September. Even after Hong Kong reopened its border with mainland China in January, tourism recovery was slow.

The rules have now been relaxed even further. Visitors who test negative for COVID no longer need to self-isolate upon arrival.

Inbound tourists are subjected to rapid antigen testing upon arrival and again on day five of their visit. If you test positive, you must self-isolate in your hotel or lodging for five days.

Proof of vaccination is also required for those over the age of 12, unless there are medical reasons why you cannot be vaccinated.

Hong Kong residents who are not fully vaccinated will be allowed to enter the city. Non-residents who are not fully vaccinated and have visited places other than mainland China, Macao, or Taiwan within the last seven days will be denied entry into Hong Kong.

A negative PCR test taken within 48 hours of departure is required for travel between Hong Kong and mainland China. You must make a quota booking on the HKSARG’s online booking system if you are traveling through land border control points. Air travel does not necessitate this.

Virgin Atlantic stops flights to Hong Kong after 30 years

Due to the closure of Russian airspace following Ukraine’s invasion, some airlines will not resume service to the city.

Virgin Atlantic announced in the fall that it would close its Hong Kong office after 30 years. Flights to the city were halted when the pandemic struck, but were scheduled to resume in the summer of 2023.

The airline decided to withdraw from the Asian travel hub entirely. Several factors influenced the decision, including the closure of Russian airspace, which added at least an hour to travel times.

Customers who booked flights to Hong Kong with Virgin Atlantic beginning in March 2023 have been offered a refund, a voucher, or the option to rebook on another route with the airline.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Source : euronews

Read more

Muscat Nights will Help Local Businesses & Revitalize Domestic Tourism

Muscat: A kaleidoscope of activities will take place during the inaugural edition of the Muscat Nights, which will take place from January 19 to February 4.

Muscat Nights, organized by Muscat Municipality, aims to be the largest entertainment, cultural, and community event in the capital city.

Ahmed Mohammed Al Hamidi, Chairman of Muscat Municipality, announced on Sunday at a press conference at Qantab Hall, Al Bustan Palace, and the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in the presence of representatives from ministries and government that Muscat Nights 2023 will be held at four locations: Al Qurum Natural Park, Al Naseem Public Park, the Oman Automobile Association (OAA), and the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC).

Al Hamidi said, “Muscat Nights aims to develop events that go down well with the community, traditions and customs, and promote healthy practices.

“For the youth, we have included activities and sports at the Oman Automobile Association, given that the majority of Omani society is under the age of 16.”

Al Hamidi hoped that Muscat Nights would contribute to the revitalization of domestic tourism by providing a venue for entertainment and cultural events. He stated that 90 percent of the contracts for venue preparation have been awarded to local companies.

“This year, every segment of society will be served and we have been keen to develop events that take care of all with safety and security standards at the top of our priority,” said Al Hamidi.

Brigadier General Mohammed bin Nasser Al Kindi, Director General of Operations at the Royal Oman Police (ROP), said: “Extra policemen will be on duty to ease traffic congestion due to the Muscat Nights activities. This will be done through a plan to open other lanes to reduce congestion.”

The top ROP official said: “The police will provide advice and guidance, and will deploy members of civil defence to help if necessary. The police will also participate in a number of educational shows and exhibitions during the activities from January 19-February 4.”

Al Hamidi also talked about the concerns of people regarding traffic congestion in Al Qurum. He said: “To prevent traffic congestion in the Al Qurum region, the Muscat Nights event will be held only in a section of the park, which includes the lake and its nearby areas.”

Muscat Nights, according to Al Hamidi, is a new concept unrelated to the Muscat Festival, which was last held in 2019 after having been held annually since 1998.

“Most of Muscat Nights activities will be held in the evening and added that Muscat Municipality took into account many suggestions to organise the inaugural edition of Muscat Nights,” he said.

Special schedule

Each venue is expected to have its own distinct personality and a unique schedule with a variety of activities tailored to the venue.

According to officials, the activities will not be limited to entertainment but will also promote domestic tourism and support local industries by providing a platform for them.

With the release of an app for ticket purchases, technology will be used to book tickets and view the event schedule.

This time, a heritage village will be established in Al Naseem Park, with a greater representation of the governorates.

The Sultanate of Oman’s talented artists will organize the concerts.

Children under the age of 12 and people with disabilities are exempt from paying entry fees, according to the organizers.

 

 

 

 

Source : zawya

Read more

Tourism Scenarios in 2023

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, Brazil ranks first in the world in terms of the tourism potential of its natural resources in 2023. We have a population of more than 210 million people, a receptive population, favorable exchange rates that boost domestic consumption and increase exports, and consolidated tourism products in all states.

Global studies show that new generations would rather travel and experience new things than, say, buy the car of their dreams. Even generations such as “Baby Boomers, X, and Y” prioritize tourism to improve their quality of life, and with the consolidated phenomenon of social media, everyone posts their trips, spreading their experiences and strengthening their social status.

Over the last four years, there has been a significant improvement in tourism strategic planning in the state of So Paulo, as well as the implementation of legislation throughout Brazil creating, for example, tourist districts, with the expansion of municipalities incorporating tourism master plans, tourist inventories, and demand surveys, which will enable the sustainable growth of our market in the coming years.

With several launches this year 2023, tourism and real estate projects like Multiproperties have increased the supply and structural quality of products, particularly in leisure tourism destinations. The APM Resort in Caieiras, SP, for example, has 300 units and a Convention Center for 1,200 people.

More than 570,000 hotel housing units, 1.5 million rental vehicles, 40,000 agencies and tour operators, 80 theme parks and natural parks, more than 2.5 million restaurants and bars, and more than 3,000 event centers will be available in the tourism production chain by 2023, among other tourism products (compilation of data from the main tourism entities).

As a result, we can forecast that in 2023, these scenarios for tourism in Brazil will show growth rates of more than 15% in the leisure market compared to 2019 before the pandemic, and with the resumption of events and fairs, the tourism market for corporate destinations will show growth rates of at least 6% compared to pre-world health crisis levels.

The imminent approval of Law 442/91 on games and casinos in Brazil will be the icing on the cake, allowing for the insertion of approximately US$ 70 billion in national and international investments, directly activating the securities, real estate, construction, decoration, technology, and industries; next, professional qualification with the academy and teaching entities will begin, followed by operation, enhancing the desti Brazil, with its 52 tourism segments such as hotels, gastronomy, events, culture, transportation, and concerts, as well as overall commerce, will be able to have a budget similar to that used by Mexico of US$ 500 million, with 12% of the funds raised for tourism, boosting tourist destinations throughout the country.

 

 

 

 

 

Source : igamingbrazil

 

Read more

The Role of Tourism in The Reconstruction of The Greek Economy

“Tourism, a National Case!” was the theme of the fourth Greek Summit. On December 7, “Possibilities and Perspectives” was a huge success in Athens, Greece. Leading representatives from the government and opposition parties, members of the political leadership, academics, and leading market executives all contributed to the conference, which focused on the role of tourism in the Greek economy’s reconstruction.

In an interview with the editor and director of Realnews, Nikos Hatzinikolaou, the Minister of Tourism, Vassilis Kikilias, stressed that the tourism industry outperformed the national target this year in Greece.

According to him, the target included in the 2022 national budget was for the industry to achieve 80% of its performance in 2019. In Greece, the tourism industry outperformed the national target this year. “Despite the Ukraine conflict, double-digit inflation, and the energy crisis, we not only met, but exceeded, the target by 3 billion euros,” Mr. Kikilias said.

The US ambassador in Athens, George Tsounis, credited the Minister of Tourism for the outperformance, calling it “impressive.” Noam Katz, Israel’s ambassador in Athens, focused on the high level of investment interest in Greece and the potential for synergies in sustainable tourism, sustainability, and green development between the two countries.

Dimitris Fragakis, Secretary General of the Hellenic Tourism Organization (EOT), described this year as a watershed moment for Greek tourism. According to him, 2022 will be the new year of records for Greek tourism, not only because revenue will reach and possibly exceed that of 2019, but also because Greek tourism managed to recover from the absolute “zero point” in March 2020 in just two years. He stated that EOT has invested in four axes of experiential tourism over the last three years: gastronomy, sports tourism, outdoor activities, and wellness, which is linked to medical tourism.

Elena Kountoura, MEP of SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance, highlighted the importance of alternative forms of tourism for sustainable tourism development, focusing on the important access problem faced by small and medium-sized enterprises today in terms of financial programs, tools, and bank lending. Giorgos Patoulis, Governor of Attica, mentioned the region’s efforts to develop a “global health village,” which will attract visitors all year.

Finally, Yannis Smyrlis, Secretary General for International Economic Affairs and President of Enterprise Greece, spoke about the government’s goal of making Greece the best case for sustainable tourism, improving its image, and upgrading the country’s brand. According to him, strategic investments in the tourism sector help to improve the tourist product and create an ecosystem that benefits the entire region.

Next is Now and Dome Consulting organized the conference, which was held under the auspices of the Greek Ministry of Tourism, the Greek National Tourism Organization, and the Region of Attica.

 

 

 

 

 

Source : businessdaily

 

Read more

Sanya Plans to Improve its Tourism Credentials

The government in Sanya, Hainan Province, has laid out 117 key projects to turn the city into a “national leading tourist destination with great international influence” and to promote the high-quality development of local tourism, according to the Sanya Construction of International Tourist Resort Plan (2022–2035).

The plan is to transform the South Chinese coastal city into an international tourist destination by 2025, with an investment of approximately 138.5 billion yuan ($19.8 billion).

“Sanya has enormous tourism potential,” said Russian expat Sergei Orlov, a 35-year-old entrepreneur and travel marketer in the city. “I think with this plan and the improvements it introduces, Sanya and Hainan province will become one of the best places to vacation, and it will create more business opportunities for Sanya residents.”

The city intends to attract innovative global tourism, optimize its offerings, and expand and integrate the sector in order to encourage high-quality consumption.

“The Sanya International Tourist Resort is scheduled to be completed by 2035, by which time the city should become a top tourist destination in China and the world,” the plan said.

It suggests that the Sanya government keep an index to monitor the city’s tourism development.

The index will assign ratings to tourist attractions, such as sites, hotels, and restaurants, based on their attractiveness, development potential, influence, convenience, and friendliness.

It also proposes a city layout with “one core, two axes, and three belts” based on three distinct clusters.

“One core” refers to Sanya’s central area as the international tourist destination’s core.

“Two axes” refers to the development of a trendy tourism area in the city’s east, where visitors can stay and shop for more fashionable items, and a cultural tourism area in the west.

The term “three belts” refers to the development of three tourism belts: a coastal experience tourism belt centered on boutique cruise ships, yachts, marine therapies, and coastal leisure; a leisure vacation belt centered on shopping, villages, weddings, sports, and healthcare; and a culturally themed belt centered on sightseeing, leisure, food, science, education, and research.

Xu Wei, president of the Sanya Wedding Tourism Industry, expressed his enthusiasm for the city’s “tourism plus” trend, in which tourists would be drawn to the area while also participating in events. “One out of every twenty tourists comes to attend a wedding,” Xu explained. “This is one of the most significant changes to the tourism market in Sanya in the last decade.”

He considers “tourism plus” to be a win-win situation. It ensures that visitors’ needs are met, and the money they spend is then used to help upgrade Sanya’s tourism sector, allowing it to diversify its offerings and appeal even further.

The sector is expected to be worth 100 billion yuan by 2035, according to the Hainan Island International Design Industrial Development Plan.

In terms of cultural tourism, the plan stated that it is necessary to explore local cultural resources and come up with new development models and formats when relying on key zones such as the Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City and the Haikou Future Industrial Park.

According to the Sanya Tourism, Culture, Radio, Film, and Television Sports Bureau, 2.1 million overnight tourists visited the city in July, generating 7.1 billion yuan in revenue, a 6.8 percent increase year on year.

To stimulate the domestic tourism market, the bureau announced the distribution of 53 million coupons covering Hainan hotels, scenic spots, flight tickets, and shopping across the country.

For the winter and spring seasons, the Sanya Phoenix International Airport has 62,000 flights and 104 domestic routes planned. Eight new routes have been added, with departures from Foshan in Guangdong, Heze in Shandong, Xiangfan in Hubei, Xuzhou in Jiangsu, Hengyang and Yueyang in Hunan, and Handan and Zhangjiakou in Hebei. Tourists can fly into Hainan from 79 mainland locations.

 

 

 

 

 

Source : chinadaily

Read more

Taiwan Uses The “silver economy” To Boost Tourism

Taiwan’s tourism bureau held a press conference on Wednesday to promote the results of its efforts to attract more elderly visitors to Taiwan. The Golden Years travel initiative of the bureau is focused on ecology, culture, and quality of life.

The effort is in response to the world’s aging populations. According to government statistics, one in every five Taiwanese will be over the age of 65 by 2025. The tourism bureau says it plans to capitalize on this.

Taiwan, according to Deputy Tourism Chief Trust Lin (), is a popular destination for seniors who want to engage in recreational activities while remaining mentally and physically healthy.

He goes on to say that the government has been working to improve infrastructure, lodging, and transportation services to make sites more accessible and senior-friendly.

Lin also claims that the “senior economy” is thriving and has a lot of untapped potential. According to him, domestic travel by senior citizens was valued at NT$40 billion last year. Lin claims that the tourism bureau is prepared to capitalize on this niche market.

 

 

 

Source : en.rti.org.tw

Read more

New Zealand fully reopens borders for tourists

New Zealand has fully reopened to international tourists, removing the last vestiges of one of the most stringent border controls imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The country began reopening its borders to New Zealand citizens in February, followed in May by the return of tourists from more than 50 countries, including the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom.

Tourists from non-visa waiver nations, international students, and cruise ships were able to enter the country after the final border restrictions were lifted at midnight on Sunday.

Most visitors will still need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 and undergo two tests upon arrival, but they will not be quarantined.

During the pandemic, New Zealand mostly kept COVID-19 out of the country until the emergence of the extremely contagious Omicron strain in December rendered its strict border restrictions mostly ineffective.

While the South Pacific country had had one of the lowest death rates on the planet, its remoteness destroyed businesses like tourism and left thousands of New Zealanders trapped abroad.

Tourism and foreign education were New Zealand’s top and fourth-largest exports prior to the pandemic, with the former employing over 225,000 people.

The removal of border restrictions, according to Eve Lawrence, general manager of Haka Tourism Group in Auckland, is a “great step” toward the revival of the travel and tourism industry.

“As a country that relies on working holiday visa holders, our largest difficulty now is managing immigration processing times, settings, and huge staff shortages.” However, based on our experiences in LA and Europe thus far on our trip, this appears to be a global issue.”

Source : Aljazeera

Read more