Baek Byung-yeul is a journalist at The Korea Times focused on cultural content, including films and cultural events in South Korea. You can contact him at baekby@koreatimes.co.kr to share your insights.
Hong Kong teams up with Korea's travel industry group to invite tourists back
Anthony Lau, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, speaks during a press conference at the Westin Josun Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul
By Baek Byung-yeul
The Hong Kong Tourism Board launched a new global marketing campaign named and signed a strategic partnership with the Korea Association of Travel Agents (KATA) in Seoul, Tuesday, to boost bilateral tourism and attract more Korean travelers.
The new marketing initiative, named “Only in Hong Kong,” focuses on highlighting Hong Kong's distinctive cultural blend, year-round large-scale events and lifestyle activities to encourage travelers to experience the city through a deeper, more emotional perspective.
To drive this growth, Hong Kong's official tourism agency plans to expand its seasonal festivals, launch new events and use the newly opened Kai Tak Sports Park for international sports matches and concerts.
To accommodate travel demand from across Korea, the tourism board is expanding its promotional efforts beyond Seoul by holding another event in Busan, Thursday.
Anthony Lau, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, emphasized the long-standing significance of the Korean market and expressed strong optimism about the partnership.
“Korea has always been one of Hong Kong’s closest and most important partners,” Lau said.
“Together with the Korea Association of Travel Agents, we will keep building seamless and memorable journeys for Korean visitors heading to Hong Kong. Our new global campaign, ‘Only in Hong Kong,’ is about moving beyond just knowing Hong Kong to truly feeling Hong Kong.”
The tourism board also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with KATA. Under the agreement, both organizations will launch joint promotions and host travel trade fairs, business meetings and family tours to connect travel companies from both regions.
Prior to the MOU signing, the tourism board held a business exchange event, which has been running since 2005. This year's fair brought together 38 Hong Kong travel companies including hotels and attractions and over 110 Korean travel industry professionals to share market trends and discuss new tour products.
Lee Jin-seok, chairman of the Korea Association of Travel Agents, speaks during a press conference at the Westin Josun Seoul, Tuesday. Korea Times photo by Baek Byung-yeul
KATA Chairman Lee Jin-seok said the timing of the agreement aligns perfectly with changing traveler preferences and will serve as a catalyst for sustainable industry growth.
“Hong Kong and Korea have long been important tourism markets and close partners to one another. Since the launch of the first direct flight between our two destinations approximately 65 years ago, countless travelers have journeyed between Hong Kong and Korea, fostering connections among people, cultures and businesses,” Lee said.
“This memorandum of understanding represents more than a declaration of cooperation; it marks an important milestone for both organizations as we work together to create new opportunities for growth in an evolving tourism landscape.”
The tourism board is also rolling out highly curated local contents, such as specialized culinary and film location guides, while actively revitalizing historical neighborhoods like Old Town Central and Sham Shui Po to draw young travelers.
Kim Yoon-ho, director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board's Korea branch, detailed how the city aims to show its diverse and vibrant charms to encourage first-time visitors to return.
“Hong Kong is a place where cultural, sports and entertainment events never stop throughout the year,” Kim said. “We will upgrade our major events by turning traditional holidays into monthlong festivals. By combining local culture with world-class entertainment, we want to make Hong Kong a must-visit destination.”