'Hello Hong Kong': Hong Kong poised and ready to welcome global visitors

Hong Kong on Thursday (Feb. 2) officially launched a global promotional campaign named "Hello Hong Kong". The event kicked off a series of activities to tell the story of Hong Kong to the world and promote Hong Kong's business opportunities, cultural attractions, and visitor experiences. Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po stated that after three years of epidemic, Hong Kong is entering a period of recovery, with convenient exchanges between the Mainland and the rest of the world having resumed. As a result, we can anticipate that this year's economy will be significantly better than last year's, as will the number of tourists and cargo.

Paul Chan stated that Hong Kong's recovery process should not only return to the pre-epidemic era, but also transform into a new stage of improved development and a higher level. He noted that it may take some time for flights to resume, tourists to return, and business to increase, given that all regions of the world are competing for more business, tourists, and investment, and that Hong Kong must increase its promotion efforts to let foreign tourists and businesses know about its new developments.

Paul Chan stated that the "Task Force to Promote Hong Kong's New Strengths" recently conducted its inaugural meeting in an effort to gather the wisdom and perspectives of various community sectors in order to highlight Hong Kong's new strengths. By staging the "Hello, Hong Kong!" launch event, Hong Kong will proclaim to its friends across the world that it is back, and will do its best to display and promote its new economic highlights, new cultural vision, new tourism experience, and thriving world.

Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, the Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism, stated that Hong Kong is prepared to welcome the world. He said that he would invite celebrities and netizens to promote Hong Kong's arts, culture, sporting events, natural and ecological heritage, the city and Victoria Harbour, Chinese and Western cuisines, and Hong Kong's scenic locations, among other things. As a gesture of hospitality, he also planned a series of special offerings for guests, such as "Hong Kong has gifts." Kevin Yeung added that Hong Kong would host a series of large-scale festivals in the following months to highlight the city's dynamic and diversified culture, including the Hong Kong Marathon, art exhibitions, wine and dine parades, a museum summit in March, and the inaugural "Pop Culture Festival." He also mentioned that during the Chinese New Year, cruise ships were re-docking in Hong Kong, signaling a tourism recovery.