Thursday, March 21, 2024
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) hosted its annual trade seminar, “Tourism Overview 2024,” at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on March 21. The event aimed to update approximately 1,200 representatives from local travel agencies, attractions, hotels, airlines, retailers, food and beverage businesses, MICE sector partners, cruise lines, as well as teachers and students from local tertiary tourism schools, on the latest tourism trends and the Board’s plans for the year ahead.
The Tourism Overview this year is themed “Drive Success Together, As One”. Dr Pang Yiukai, HKTB Chairman, said in his opening remarks, “Last year marked a milestone for Hong Kong
as we reconnected with the world and laid a solid foundation for tourism. This year, HKTB will
devote our full efforts into converting travellers’ interests into actual visits, so as to uphold Hong
Kong’s role as an international metropolis, strengthen our role as a tourism hub and pursue quality
growth. This relies on the active participation and support of the travel trade and tourism-related
sectors, joining hands together, creating synergies and maximising the tourism industry’s
contribution to the economy.”
Mr Dane Cheng, HKTB Executive Director, reviewed the tourism performances in 2023 and
analysed the outlook of the industry for 2024. Mr Cheng also elaborated on HKTB’s work plan and
the four key strategic focuses, including: staging and supporting world-class events, developing
diverse and immersive experiences, stepping up promotions in visitor source markets, and enhancing
service quality and supporting the trade.
Industry experts provided insights to help the trade discover new opportunities. The HKTB invited Mr. Steve Saxon, Partner at McKinsey & Company, and Mr. Fazal Bahardeen, Founder and CEO of Crescent Rating, to discuss consumer trends for business advancement and the potential of Muslim travel. Their analysis, based on various data on visitors’ travel patterns, deepened the audience’s understanding of the opportunities in Muslim markets. Real case studies were used to help the travel trade better understand the latest tourism market developments.
Mr Saxon said, “We continue to see the resurgence of the mainland China travel market, and
Hong Kong remains at the top of many travellers’ lists. The travel industry should grasp the trends
of the returning mainland traveller, and continue to win this important group.”
Mr Bahardeen said, “One of the significant growth segments within the travel sector is the
Muslim travel market. Hong Kong has a unique geographical advantage. It can access over 30% of
the world’s Muslim population within a 3- to 6-hour flight time. This advantage, coupled with its
diverse tourism offerings, creates a huge opportunity for Hong Kong to tap into a significant portion
of the Muslim outbound market. To fully capitalise on this opportunity, it is vital that the city
launches targeted marketing campaigns to attract Muslim travelers.”
HKTB provided updates to the trade on MICE and cruise tourism, as well as market development. Mr. Kenneth Wong, HKTB General Manager for MICE & Cruise, briefed the trade on the latest developments in the meetings, incentive travel, conventions, and exhibitions sector, as well as key initiatives in cruise tourism development. Representatives from HKTB’s worldwide offices also engaged with local trade partners, sharing their analyses of the latest market situations.
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
Sunday, April 28, 2024
