Planning a major thrust with Indian family & young travellers

HKTB is busy developing India as a new market to pull new tourists to Hong Kong.

Here’s some reason to cheer for Indian travel bugs looking to jet off to Hong Kong in the current period. Keeping in mind the MICE and cruise business segment, Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has planned a big push with a view to generate more inbound traffic from family and young Indian travellers in the new calendar year.

In its latest initiative, the board has joined hands with Viacom 18 to highlight the popular television serial “Sasural Simar Ka” in which Hong Kong formed the backdrop for its 1000th episode. Peter Hoslin, Regional Director, Europe and New Markets, HKTB, explained, “The show has been picturized in some of the exotic tourist destinations in Hong Kong since we intend to create an exciting destination experience for the Indian viewers. Owing to the immense popularity of the serial among young couples, we have come up with exclusive tours that would offer romantic experience of the destination. We have designed Hong Kong Rewards programme for incentive groups to make them experience the vibrancy of the destination.”

Hong Kong has emerged as a significant cruise hub with the opening of Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. Peter Hoslin said, “There is a tremendous potential to boost fly-cruise packages in the Indian tourism market since most Indian travellers prefer fly-cruise packages to Hong Kong. The destination has attracted a number of cruise lines to select Hong Kong as the convenient homeport. Royal Caribbean International has deployed 20 cruises of its flagship vessel-Voyager of the Seas for summer 2015 and will offer cruises of three-to-ten nights for a visit to Taiwan, Vietnam, Japan and South Korea till October, 2015.”

Indian visitors mostly tour Victoria Peak, Hong Kong Disneyland, Ladies Market, Ocean Park, Madame Tussauds, Victoria Harbour, Avenue of Stars, Temple Street Night Market and Lantau Island. Hoslin added, “New Delhi and Mumbai are our primary source markets contributing around 60 per cent of overnight Indian tourist arrival.

HKTB’s current strategies to draw Indian tourists are:

• Joined hands with Viacom 18 to promote television serial “Sasural Simar Ka” shot in Hong Kong.
• Focusing on family and young Indian tourists.
• Publicizing fly-cruise tours.
• Hong Kong REWARDS programme for MICE group.

"“There is a tremendous potential to boost fly-cruise packages in the Indian tourist market since most Indian travellers prefer fly-cruise packages to Hong Kong.”"