THE number of Filipino tourists that visited Hong Kong last year breached the one-million mark and exceeded pre-pandemic levels, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB).
In light of the big increase — 1.2 million visitors from the Philippines in 2024 compared to a previous record of 930,000 in 2018 — the HKTB unveiled its tourism initiatives for this year, with the aim of keeping up momentum.
“We are thrilled to know that Hong Kong, in the last year, was the top travel destination for Filipinos. We are incredibly fortunate and honored to have your love for our city,” Dane Cheng, HKTB’s Executive Director, said at a celebration on Feb. 5.
He mentioned milestone efforts with the Philippines that seek to foster this connection: being the setting of performers KD Estrada and Alexa Ilacad’s music video “Be With U,” and of the feature film Under Parallel Skies starring Filipino actress Janella Salvador and Thai actor Win Metawin; and having Filipino chef Margarita Fores collaborating with Hong Kong chef Vicky Cheng for a four-hands dinner.
Mr. Estrada and Ms. Ilacad graced the event, speaking of their favorite parts of filming their video in the island of Cheung Chau. The former explained that, as a foodie, the giant curry fishballs and sweet mango mochi were great snacks. The latter praised the picturesque waterfront and mosaic walls, which were Instagrammable spots.
Meanwhile, the lucky millionth Filipino visitor to Hong Kong was actually a family, Mr. Cheng said: Miguel and Anna Linao, along with their kids, who visited the former British territory in November.
“I feel like Hong Kong has something for everyone. My wife and I really love the food and the modern vibe, and then for our kids, of course there’s the theme parks,” said Mr. Linao.
“We just walk around the city endlessly, get lost in the city, but then it’s also easy to find your way back,” he said.
NEW ATTRACTIONS, ACTIVITIESLiew Chian Jia, HKTB’s Regional Director for Southeast Asia, told BusinessWorld that they are “confident that there will be a lot more Filipinos coming to Hong Kong this year” due to the 2025 lineup of tourism programs.
At her full presentation to the media and trade partners, she unveiled a plethora of transformations tourists can look out for. First is the Hong Kong International Airport, which will have a standalone art storage facility designed to serve collectors, galleries, and museums.
“This development will feature a one-stop art hub, featuring art creation, appreciation, and trading in a single space,” Ms. Liew said.
The AsiaWorld-Expo will be getting a facelift in order to reintroduce itself as Hong Kong’s largest indoor performance venue. Similarly, the Symphony of Lights, the iconic light and sound show set against the Hong Kong harbor skyline, is being revamped.
Ngong Ping 360, the cable car experience in Lantau Island, launched something new in December: the immersive Chinese Dynasty Pavilion. As Hong Kong’s first Three Kingdoms-themed museum, it is a mix of culture and history with state-of-the-art technology.
Ocean Park Hong Kong recently received a new pair of pandas, in addition to their original resident couple giving birth to two more. This makes a total of six pandas in residence at the park that tourists can visit.
Finally, Ms. Liew highlighted that Hong Kong Disneyland is celebrating its 20th anniversary this summer. “The year-long celebration will unveil brand new entertainment and exclusive limited offers,” she said.
These include an anniversary-only Castle State Show that brings together Disney characters for a party experience in front of the main castle, and an all-new parade featuring 11 party floats filled with Disney characters. The finale is a special edition of the Momentous light projections and drone choreography set against the castle.
HKTB will also have exclusive deals at their Travel Tour Expo booth this weekend, said Ms. Liew.
“We are working with travel agents onsite to offer buy two, get one free package deals,” she added. “And once you purchase your Hong Kong Dream Getaway, we have exclusive gifts for redemption from attractions like Disneyland and Ocean Park.”
The Travel Tour Expo runs from Feb. 7 to 9 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City. — Brontë H. Lacsamana