Hong Kong is giving away 500,000 free flight tickets to entice tourists back

Before the pandemic, Hong Kong welcomed around 56 million visitors annually. Now, after more than two years of strict travel restrictions, the popular destination is taking bold measures to attract tourists once again.

Just days after lifting its long-standing mandatory hotel quarantine, Hong Kong announced plans to distribute half a million airline tickets to revitalize its tourism sector.

“In 2020, the Airport Authority Hong Kong purchased approximately 500,000 tickets in advance from local airlines as part of a relief initiative to support the aviation industry,” said a spokesperson.

“The purchase was aimed at injecting liquidity into the airlines, with the tickets now being given away to global travelers and Hong Kong residents as part of the market recovery campaign.”

'Tourism Recovery Initiative'

More information will be provided once final arrangements with airlines are confirmed, they stated.

Hong Kong has been largely isolated from the world due to its Covid-19 quarantine measures, which at one point required inbound travelers to quarantine for 21 days at their own expense, allowing only Hong Kong residents to enter.

The quarantine period was shortened from seven to three days before it was officially removed on September 26, leading many residents to rush to airline websites to book their flights.

Cathay Pacific, the city's flagship airline, set up a virtual “waiting room” to handle the traffic on its website, while online booking platform Expedia reported a nine-fold increase in flight searches from Hong Kong to Tokyo and an eleven-fold spike for flights to Osaka. Interest in flights to Hong Kong, however, remained stable, according to Lavinia Rajaram, head of public relations for Expedia Asia.

“Our goal is to provide maximum support to reconnect Hong Kong and boost our economy,” said Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee during a press conference on Friday.

Although the hotel quarantine requirement has been lifted, visitors to Hong Kong still face several rules and restrictions before and after arrival.

International travelers arriving in Hong Kong must present a pre-flight vaccination certificate, as well as negative PCR and rapid antigen tests, before entry.

After being allowed entry, visitors must undergo a three-day self-monitoring period, during which they are banned from dining at restaurants or going to bars.

Visitors are also required to take PCR tests on days 2, 4, and 6 after arrival, as well as perform daily rapid antigen tests for a full week.