HKTB Unveils 2025 Tourism Strategies at Annual Seminar
Background
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) recently held its annual mega trade seminar, “Hong Kong Tourism Overview 2025,” on 20 March 2025 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. This event, which attracted over 1,200 participants, including representatives from local travel agents, attractions, hotels, airlines, retailers, F&B, the MICE and cruise sectors, and tourism students, aimed to share the latest tourism trends and HKTB’s upcoming work plan. The seminar was themed “partnering for success, shaping the future,” reflecting the HKTB’s commitment to collaboration and innovation in the tourism sector (https://www.fccihk.com/publications-news/news/n/news/hktb-annual-tourism-overview-concludes-successfully-1200-participants-jointly-explore-the-diverse.html?gr_m=0qh&gr_co=sVpv&gr_s=VhdD&gr_x=a62e).
Key Insights
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism: Ms Rosanna Law
Ms Rosanna Law, the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, delivered opening remarks emphasizing the importance of tourism to Hong Kong’s economy. She outlined three key messages that form the basis of the “Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism 2.0”:
- Leveraging Hong Kong’s International Status: Hong Kong is an international tourist city with the advantage of being backed by the motherland. The entire tourism industry must strategically utilize the supportive measures of the Central People’s Government to maximize benefits for Hong Kong as a whole.
- Fortifying Traditional Tourism Assets: Hong Kong has traditional tourism advantages that must be maintained and enhanced. Simultaneously, the industry should unleash creativity to develop new products that captivate visitors.
- Promoting the Concept of ‘Everyone is a Tourism Ambassador’: The industry and the public are encouraged to welcome every visitor with a warm and friendly smile, promoting the spirit of hospitality. Ms Law expressed her anticipation for working together with the trade to elevate Hong Kong tourism to new heights.
HKTB Chairman: Dr Pang Yiu-kai
Dr Pang Yiu-kai, the HKTB Chairman, highlighted the resilience, flexibility, and creativity of the tourism and related sectors in the face of numerous challenges. He noted the HKTB’s efforts during the pandemic, such as encouraging the public to explore Hong Kong as their own visitors and reopening the doors to global travel. Dr Pang emphasized the HKTB’s commitment to working closely with travel trade partners to seize opportunities for change and innovation, develop new tourism products, and respond proactively to emerging travel trends (https://www.fccihk.com/publications-news/news/n/news/hktb-annual-tourism-overview-concludes-successfully-1200-participants-jointly-explore-the-diverse.html?gr_m=0qh&gr_co=sVpv&gr_s=VhdD&gr_x=a62e).
HKTB Executive Director: Mr Dane Cheng
Mr Dane Cheng, the HKTB Executive Director, reviewed the performance of Hong Kong’s tourism industry in the past year and outlined the industry outlook for the rest of 2025. He shared the HKTB’s work plan and key strategies for the coming year, which include:
- Thematic Promotions: Launching thematic promotions by bundling mega events with always-on experiences throughout the year.
- Diversified Markets and Segments: Developing diversified and potential markets and segments.
- Smart Tourism Tools: Launching smart tourism tools to enhance the visitor experience and enable the travel trade to leverage promotions to develop more tourism products, thereby creating new business opportunities.
Industry Expert Insights
The seminar also featured insights from industry experts:
- Ms Cissy Chan, Executive Director, Commercial, Airport Authority Hong Kong: She discussed the transformation of Hong Kong’s airport from a city airport to an airport city, titled “SKYTOPIA.”
- Dr Simon Baptist, Principal Economist for APAC, Visa: He shared insights on “Tourism in Motion: Asia Pacific’s Travel Trends in a New Shift in Consumer Behaviour,” providing valuable perspectives on the future direction of tourism development.
Worldwide Office Representatives
Representatives from HKTB’s Worldwide Offices engaged in discussions with the local travel trade, sharing their insights on the development of various markets and their future work focuses. This exchange of ideas and strategies is crucial for aligning global and local efforts to enhance Hong Kong’s tourism appeal.
Conclusion
The “Hong Kong Tourism Overview 2025” seminar was a significant event that brought together over 1,200 participants to explore the diverse opportunities and shape the future of Hong Kong’s tourism. The key messages from Ms Rosanna Law, the insights from Dr Pang Yiu-kai, and the strategic plans outlined by Mr Dane Cheng underscore the HKTB’s commitment to collaboration, innovation, and the continuous improvement of Hong Kong’s tourism sector. By leveraging Hong Kong’s international status, fortifying traditional tourism assets, and promoting a culture of hospitality, the HKTB aims to bring Hong Kong tourism to new heights. The insights from industry experts and the global perspectives shared by HKTB’s Worldwide Office representatives further enrich the strategic direction and provide a comprehensive approach to achieving the mission of “Tourism is Everywhere” (https://www.fccihk.com/publications-news/news/n/news/hktb-annual-tourism-overview-concludes-successfully-1200-participants-jointly-explore-the-diverse.html?gr_m=0qh&gr_co=sVpv&gr_s=VhdD&gr_x=a62e).
