New Markets
At the HKTB, we never stop identifying new opportunities to extend our marketing footprints. One way to achieve this is by growing new markets. Through a mix of trade, PR and consumer marketing efforts, we stepped up our promotions in India, Russia and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region and sought new opportunities to tap into the Vietnamese market.
Follow a Bollywood star to Hong Kong
- Publicity value generated by Gautam’s trip: HK$2.8 million
We invited stunning Bollywood actress and top model Yami Gautam to sample the exceptional gastronomy and cultural life of Hong Kong. A short film was made and promoted through our media partners including Economic Times Panache, and on various online channels. Gautam also uploaded snaps from her trip on Instagram, which has a massive following of 10.5 million.
Destination awareness campaign in Russian and the GCC markets
- Increase in S7 Airlines’ ticket bookings to Hong Kong during the campaign period: 38%
- Total flight bookings linked to the multi-destination promotion with Vietnam Airlines and Emirates Airlines: 508
While Hong Kong may not be the priority for travellers in Russia and the GCC region due to the relatively longer flying distance, we strived to sustain top-of-mind awareness and maximise exposure in these markets.
In Russia, we continued cooperating with S7 Airlines to stimulate bookings from Moscow and cities in the Russian Far East, and organised a familiarisation tour for trade partners from the Far East to experience selected home-grown events, including the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival and the Hong Kong Pulse Light Festival. In Moscow, Russia’s capital and most affluent city, we focused our resources on promoting multi-destination travel with various other destinations through partnerships with Vietnam Airlines and Emirates Airlines, with the aim of providing alternative indirect flight options from Moscow to Hong Kong.
For the GCC markets, we created hype about visiting Hong Kong with attractive offers developed with first-class online travel agent Almosafer and local hotels.
Celebrity endorsement to open up the Vietnamese market
- Engagement generated from social media posts on Ly’s trip: 331,000
Riding on our cooperation with Cathay Pacific, we invited Vietnamese KOL Ly Qui Khanh to Hong Kong in the autumn of 2018, generating digital stories on his social media platforms as well as those of Cathay Pacific.
