ITV

Tag: (HKTB)

  • Indian visitors to Hong Kong going up

    MUMBAI: Indian visitor arrivals to Hong Kong continue on its upward climb. For the first ten months of 2004, Hong Kong has now welcomed 2,06,342 arrivals from India recording a growth of 45.8 per cent over the same period in 2003.
     

    According to an official release from Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), October 2004 arrivals were their best ever for October at 2,015,420, only just short of the landmark 2.07 million recorded in August.

     
    HKTB executive director Clara Chong commented that the industry’s positive growth momentum was now becoming very clear. “Earlier in the year it was difficult to benchmark our progress accurately due to the low comparison base of 2003 – but now we’re comparing performance against previous records and still surpassing them,” she said.

    “With a few exceptions that the HKTB is addressing, we are no longer talking about recovery, but about strong organic growth. We’re especially pleased with the performance of our major long-haul markets. The United States is on target to reach its highest-ever total this year, as is Australia, while the United Kingdom should achieve its best performance since 1996.”
     
     
    For the first ten months of 2004 overall, Hong Kong has now welcomed 17,773,512 arrivals, growth of 47.4 per cent on the same period in 2003 and 33.4 per cent on 2002. This already takes Hong Kong well past its previous best total for a full year, the 16.57 million arrivals recorded in 2002. In view of this, the HKTB has recently raised its forecast for the whole of 2004 from 20.49 million to 21.36 million.

    The average occupancy rate across all categories of hotels and tourist guest houses in October was 89 per cent, compared with 85 per cent for the same month in 2003. The average achieved hotel room rate across all hotel categories and districts was HK$1,065, nearly 16 per cent improvement on the October 2003 figure, adds the release.

     

  • AXN, HKTB take viewers through a Bollywood Odyssey

    AXN, HKTB take viewers through a Bollywood Odyssey

    MUMBAI: Action entertainment with local relevance! That is the path that AXN’s latest cross promotional initiative will take.

    The broadcaster has teamed up with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) for a special Hong Kong Bollywood Movie Odyssey. It airs on 27 November at 10:30 pm with repeats on 16 December at 9:30 pm and on 17 December at .5:30 pm.

    Hosted by former Miss World Diana Hayden the show will take viewers to Hong Kong locales that Bollywood film producers have made use of. Films like Company, Naam, Gumrah have all had important sequences shot in Hong Kong in locations like Victoria Harbour and The Peak.

    This is the second major collaboration between the two parties. A couple of years ago AXN had organised the India Challenge event in conjunction with the HKTB. The winning team was then sent to Hong Kong to compete in the Hong Kong AXN Challenge.

    Speaking on the latest initiative AXN Asia VP marketing and creative services Gregory Ho said, “This is a fascinating collaboration between two Asian brands. While many Indians relate with Hong Kong as a shoppers paradise and for its gourmet delights it is also the action capital of Asia. It is synonymous with action films. Legends like Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan came from there.

    “This show is an attempt on our part to strengthen lifestyle programming on the channel. With this we are trying to go beyond the reality genre. When people see the above mentioned Bollywood films again they will appreciate them more because of the perspective our show will bring to the table.

    “We chose Diana Hayden because she is spontaneous and articulate. When you air a show across Asia you want someone well polished that viewers across the board can identify with.”

    AXN will air also the Hong Kong Movie Odyssey on 20 November at 10:30 pm with repeats on 9 December at 9:30 pm and on 10 December at 5:30 pm. This looks at Hong Kong movies whose filmmaking style has influenced the world including Bollywood

    Ho added that AXN’s parent Sony has a production facility in Hong Kong where films are made. So titles like So Close, Double Vision will air dubbed on the channel next year. In all the channel has around 10-12 films from Hong Kong in the pipeline. However we do not have any plans to air Indian action films in subtitles.”

    HKTB South and South East Asia regional director David Leung added, “The show will give viewers the opportunity to see Hong Kong’s cosmopolitan lifestyle and fusion of cultures. We hope that the show will stimulate viewers desires to eat and drink in the same locales that their film heroes did.

    “Earlier this year we did focus group promotions like the Bollywood Map. This shows the different locations in Hong Kong where Hindi films have been shot. We however felt the need to move from print to the electronic medium to create a larger impact. Therefore we tied up with AXN.”

    “We are also talking to Indian film and television producers regarding shooting in Hong Kong. We are confident of finalising deals by the time Frames is held in March 2005. We will make major announcements at that event. Later this year Hong Kong will organise the Winter Fest.

    ” We will be using the Indian radio and print medium to spread awareness about the same. We are also hopeful of using brand ambassador Jackie Chan in the future. Indians connect with him strongly. It is basically a matter of his schedule and willingness to work with us to promote Hong Kong in India.”

    Sony assistant VP marketing Rohit Bhandari who looks after the channel in India stated that the broadcaster is also working with the Malaysia Tourism Board. Right now vignettes promoting that country are airing on the channel.

  • AXN, Hong Kong Tourism tie up for joint awareness initiative in India

     

    As awareness campaigns go this one’s certainly off the beaten trail. Action channel AXN and the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) have tied up for the Hong Kong AXN Challenge. The India leg of this ‘adventure race with a difference’ is to be held in Mumbai on 9 March.

    For AXN, the event is a continuation of its efforts to expand ground presence, while the HKTB is using it as an opportunity to promote Hong Kong as being more than just a business hub – a destination for action and adventure as .

    The race kicks off on 9 March from Marine Drive in south Mumbai with the finish line 30 km away in the western Mumbai suburb of Bandra.The race, which includes swimming (in the open sea), running and cycling, tests the two-person teams’ physical endurance, abilities and teamwork.

    And packing some brain into the equation, the Hong Kong AXN Challenge tests the teams’ mental agility with a series of brain teasers about Hong Kong to be issued at various check points along the route.

    The winning team will be sent to Hong Kong to compete with the best racers from Hong Kong, Philippines, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand for the ultimate prize – to become the Hong Kong AXN Challenge Champion.

    The Hong Kong race, which promises to be even more rigorous, includes sea swimming, sea kayaking, trail running, climbing, abseiling, orienteering and commando crawling. The entire event will be captured on-air and broadcast on AXN later in the year.

    Says, Rohit Bhandari, senior marketing manager, AXN: “It’s very exciting to work with the Hong Kong Tourism Board on this event due to the synergy in our marketing and brand values.”

    “The Hong Kong AXN Challenge provides us with an excellent platform to showcase the multi-faceted dimensions of Hong Kong,” said David Leung, regional director for South and Southeast Asia, Hong Kong Tourism Board. “Through promotions like the Hong Kong AXN Challenge, we aim to showcase our lesser known treasures – the historical, cultural, natural and scenic beauty of Hong Kong which also lends itself to a multitude of adventure-filled lifestyle activities.”

    Designed on the lines of Eco-Challenge, the adventure race telecast on AXN, the Hong Kong AXN Challenge will further entrench the channel’s brand values by offering viewers the opportunity to interact directly with the channel and personally experience the ‘buzz’ that AXN offers.

     

  • HKTB ropes in Jackie Chan for global tourism campaign

    NEW YORK: The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has unveiled a new global tourism marketing campaign in Times Square a few days ago.

    Featuring legendary movie star Jackie Chan, the new Live It, Love It advertising campaign played across the Reuters Jumbo Tron. Officials, travel industry leaders, media and thousands of onlookers watched and mingled with people dressed in striking Chinese costumes.

    Hong Kong was one of the countries badly affected by the Sars virus. Tourism is one of that country’s economic mainstays. Now as the menace recedes, the country is pulling all stops to entice tourists back. HKTB chairman Selina Chow was quoted in an official release saying. “Our new Live It, Love Itcampaign sends a strong message to the world that Hong Kong is as vibrant and dynamic as ever. We are welcoming visitors back with a series of mega-events that showcase Hong Kong as a diverse, cosmopolitan city that fuses Eastern and Western cultures.”

    Featuring television, radio, print, on-line and outdoor advertising worldwide, the campaign is designed to sustain the tourism revival momentum and strengthen Hong Kong’s position as one of the world’s most popular destinations. The Live It, Love It theme invites visitors to experience Hong Kong to the fullest and fall in love with the destination.

    A television commercial too has been created. Over the coming weeks, the commercial will be screened in key markets around the world, including India, the US, Canada, UK, Australia, Mainland China, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore, Japan and Korea. The television commercial will be supported by integrated consumer marketing programmes in major markets, PR promotions and a series of road shows and trade activities in key cities.

    Chan has for many years been a tourism ambassador for the country. In the television commercial, he invites visitors worldwide to come to Hong Kong to enjoy the unique and memorable experiences the city has to offer. He urges them to sense its energy and vitality, to feel the warmth and hospitality of its people, to see the diversity of attractions and cultures, to taste the wide array of its international and Chinese cuisines.

    As reported earlier by Indiantelevision.com the first phase of the country’s global tourism revival campaign was called the Hong Kong Welcomes You! Promotion. This helped lure back early arrivals with irresistible travel offers, special attractions and privileges. The country even arranged for Ice skater Michelle Kwan to pay a special visit.

    Meanwhile to continue to build momentum for the campaign rollout, San Francisco is expected to celebrate today as Hong Kong Tourism Day. The city’s famed Union Square will be dedicated to celebrating all aspects of Hong Kong life for two days. Five tour operators will offer special discount packages to Hong Kong and there will be special sweepstakes for consumers to win a free trip to Hong Kong. San Francisco is the gateway city with the highest percentage of travel from the US to Hong Kong, the release adds.