Hong Kong Tourism Board announces $146 million strategies to boost tourism

HONG KONG -- The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will roll out short-term and medium-to-long-term strategies worth over 1.13 billion Hong Kong dollars (about $146 million) to boost tourism, a senior executive said when announcing the board's business plan for year 2021/22 on Wednesday.

For this financial year, the board will have a marketing budget of 1.138 billion Hong Kong dollars allocated by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, including recurrent funding of 373 million Hong Kong dollars and additional funding of 785 million Hong Kong dollars, said Dane Cheng, executive director of the HKTB.

One-tenth of the allocation will be used to promote tourism resources of Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, Cheng added.

The medium-to-long-term strategies, which account for 40 percent of the whole funding, aims to attract high-yield visitors.

Under the strategies, the board has been reshaping Hong Kong's tourism brand for sustainable development.

For the short-term strategies which account for 35 percent of the funding, Cheng said the board will continue its large-scale promotions to attract both local and overseas visitors.

Besides, for the sustainable growth of the tourism industry in Hong Kong, the HKTB will earmark 25 percent of its funding to enhance subsidy schemes, sponsor travel agencies and industry participants, and maintain Hong Kong's international exposure.