Hong Kong Tourism Board Unveils Plans for 2025 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 (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).
The seminar, themed “partnering for success, shaping the future,” provided a platform for stakeholders to explore diverse opportunities and collectively shape a new future for Hong Kong tourism. The event featured opening remarks from key figures, including Ms Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Dr Pang Yiu-kai, HKTB Chairman, as well as insights from industry experts.
Key Insights
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism: Ms Rosanna Law
Ms Rosanna Law emphasized the importance of tourism as a cornerstone of Hong Kong’s economy. She outlined three key messages that form the bases of the “Development Blueprint for Hong Kong’s Tourism 2.0”:
- Leveraging Hong Kong’s International City 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 and go the extra mile in promoting the spirit of hospitality.
HKTB Chairman: Dr Pang Yiu-kai
Dr Pang Yiu-kai 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 be their own visitors and reopening the doors to global travel. Dr Pang emphasized the importance of continued collaboration with the travel trade and related sectors to turn challenges into business opportunities and further establish Hong Kong as a premier travel destination.
HKTB Executive Director: Mr Dane Cheng
Mr Dane Cheng reviewed the performance of Hong Kong’s tourism industry in the past year and outlined the industry outlook for the rest of 2025. Key strategies and work plans for the coming year include:
- Thematic Promotions: Launching thematic promotions by bundling mega events with always-on experiences throughout the year.
- Market Diversification: 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.
Insights from Industry Experts
The seminar also featured insights from Ms Cissy Chan, Executive Director, Commercial, Airport Authority Hong Kong, and Dr Simon Baptist, Principal Economist for APAC, Visa. Ms Chan discussed the transformation of Hong Kong’s airport from a city airport to an airport city, titled “SKYTOPIA.” Dr Baptist shared his perspectives on “Tourism in Motion: Asia Pacific’s Travel Trends in a New Shift in Consumer Behaviour,” providing valuable insights for the future direction of tourism development.
Conclusion
The “Hong Kong Tourism Overview 2025” seminar was a significant event that brought together over 1,200 participants to discuss and plan the future of Hong Kong’s tourism industry. 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 commitment to leveraging Hong Kong’s unique advantages, fortifying traditional tourism assets, and promoting a culture of hospitality. The involvement of industry experts and the focus on smart tourism tools and market diversification highlight the HKTB’s proactive approach to addressing new travel trends and creating a vibrant, welcoming, and innovative tourism landscape. This collaborative effort is crucial for bringing Hong Kong tourism to new heights and solidifying its position as a world-class premier tourism destination.
