Cathay Pacific Airways is launching a significant promotion by giving away over 5,700 tickets to mainland Chinese travelers for international flights from Hong Kong. This initiative is part of the 'Hello Hong Kong' campaign, which runs from September 3, 2024, to March 31, 2025. Destinations included in this giveaway are popular cities such as Bangkok, Tokyo, Singapore, Seoul, Sydney, Paris, and Amsterdam. The campaign has a substantial budget of over HK$2 billion (approximately US$255 million) aimed at boosting tourism, business, and investment in Hong Kong [615660e6].
In addition to this giveaway, Cathay Pacific and its budget airline HK Express are offering discounted airfares to Tokyo and Seoul. HK Express is selling over 2,000 Hong Kong-Tokyo return tickets for just HK$10 each, following a similar promotion by rival Greater Bay Airlines. These tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and exclude taxes and surcharges, with travel dates set between August 26 and December 12, 2024. Previously, HK Express had sold out of HK$10 round-trip tickets to Seoul [b461b987].
Cathay Pacific is also promoting its Companion Offer, which allows two adult passengers to book and fly together in economy class for the price of one ticket, with the second ticket only incurring taxes and surcharges. This offer is valid for flights from any of Cathay Pacific's Australian ports (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, and Perth) to Hong Kong, and is available for travel until March 31, 2025 [a5665b2f].
However, there are concerns regarding the impact of Cathay's ticket giveaway on local tourism. Critics argue that while the campaign may enhance Hong Kong's status as an aviation hub, it primarily encourages outbound travel rather than attracting visitors to the city. The Airport Authority maintains that the promotion will ultimately benefit Hong Kong's tourism sector. In 2023, Hong Kong welcomed 34 million visitors, with a 52% increase in the first seven months of 2024 compared to the previous year [615660e6].