UAE residents will soon be able to fly to or return to Hong Kong with ‘free’ tickets

DUBAI: UAE residents wishing to travel to Hong Kong can take advantage of the “one plus one free” air ticket scheme as part of the city’s new tourism initiative.

Weeks after the Hong Kong government launched its “Hello Hong Kong” global campaign to give away 500,000 free air tickets, a senior Hong Kong government official has invited Emirati tourists to take advantage of the programme. “This could be a ‘buy one get one free’ lucky draw promotion,” said Algernon Yau Ying Wah, Hong Kong’s secretary for commerce and economic development.

“For example, if you buy a ticket from Dubai, then in some cases, the return ticket to Hong Kong will be free. It depends on the decision of the tourism board.”

With tickets being distributed as part of the global event, Yau hopes the GCC and Middle Eastern countries will also receive attention. The 500,000 tickets cost the city an estimated $254.8 million.

Hill and gulf news During the UAE-Hong Kong SAR Business Forum event organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC). Last week, a delegation of Hong Kong business leaders and key officials, led by Hong Kong Chief Executive Lee Kar-chiu, visited the UAE after visiting Saudi Arabia.

Before the pandemic, Hong Kong typically received 56 million tourists a year. By 2022, that number drops to about 100,000. Strict quarantine rules peak at 21 days, and the requirement for multiple PCR tests keeps most travelers away.

However, Hong Kong, one of Asia’s largest commercial, financial and tourist hubs, hopes to lure tourists back. Lobbying: “There is no specific allocation of air tickets. It is open to tourists from all countries. The city’s tourism bureau and airport authority will manage the allocation of these air tickets in coordination with airlines.”

Tickets will be sold between Hong Kong’s three major airlines – flag carrier Cathay Pacific, HK Express and Hong Kong Airlines. Alternatively, from 1 March, UAE travelers can visit the ‘World of Winners’ webpage and enter their name to enter the ticket draw.

Tickets will be distributed in three waves: to people in Southeast Asia from March 1, to those living in mainland China from April 1, and to residents of the rest of the world from May 1.

Emirates, Dubai’s flag carrier, operates its daily Boeing 777 flight to Hong Kong with a short stop in Bangkok. The airline will also restart nonstop services to Hong Kong on its A380 superjumbo from March 29. Economy class fares are Dh3,775 on Emirates and Dh4,135 on Cathay Pacific for March 30 departures.

“Hong Kong has always had a close relationship with the GCC,” Yau said, with trade worth about $60 billion before the pandemic. “In the UAE alone, the trade volume reached 12.8 billion US dollars – this is the record before the new crown epidemic. Now that Hong Kong is open again, we can freely travel between Hong Kong and mainland China.”

Driven by the next era of innovation, Hong Kong is inviting foreign investment from the UAE and other Gulf states to boost non-oil trade. During last week’s visit, the Hong Kong delegation signed a number of memorandums of understanding with the UAE government and private entities to foster partnerships beyond traditional trade areas. Lee also said the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) was the next “logical step” in Hong Kong’s relationship with the UAE.

“We have established a dialogue with the UAE and understand the needs and requirements of the GCC governments,” Yau said. “Areas like the Internet of Things (IoT) and technology are areas where we want to have partnerships. We have strong R&D capabilities.”

The city also plans to encourage international students to stay and work in Hong Kong after graduation. “After they finish their studies, we will give them a two-year visa to work in Hong Kong,” he added.