THE Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) embarked on a mega-marketing activity for the Philippine trade earlier this month new tours and trade promotions in order to jumpstart waning Philippine arrivals.
Simon Wong, HKTB regional director for South-east Asia, said the event is the “largest trade revival programme we’ve had” in recent years. Philippine arrivals to Hong Kong fell 14.5 per cent year-on-year from January-June 2014, from 375,294 to 321,051.
HKTB’s effort was spearheaded by its new My Time For… campaign, which in the Philippines, would zero in on three segments: families, young travellers aged 16-30, and the mature market above 46 years old.
To that end the NTO introduced three tour programmes – a Sham Shui Po foodie tour in the New Territories; a Wing Chun kung fu experience plus heritage museum tour; and an eco-tour programme in the fishing village of Tai O.
HKTB’s briefings also highlighted the opening of the Kai Tak cruise terminal, the October 1 launch of the Hong Kong Observation Wheel in Central Ferry Pier, Hong Kong Disneyland’s upcoming Disney Paint the Night night-time light show and Ocean Park’s new shark attraction.
Paul Leung, president, Hong Kong Inbound Travel Association, noted Filipino travellers are drawn to theme parks and shopping. “We’ve designed a special 2+1 package – the third (person) enters free. It will be applied on three packages: Ocean Park, Sky100, and Ngong Ping 360.”
The association is offering the trade this deal for two weeks starting August 15, valid for travel until October.
Meanwhile, Rita Ma, senior sales manager at Noah’s Ark Hong Kong, one of the newer theme parks in Hong Kong’s New Territories, said it had been receiving Internet bookings from the Philippine market. “The numbers show Filipinos buy directly online, even at the published rate.”
Although 80 per cent of Filipinos tourists stay overnight, the average length of stay is two nights. Per capita spend increased 7.7 per cent from 2012 to 2013, said HKTB’s Wong.
