HONG KONG — Hong Kong is giving away 500,000 sponsored air tickets as part of its new ‘Hello Hong Kong’ promotional campaign.

Available on a first-come-first-serve basis, the tickets will be spread out across various markets via four major home-based carriers: Cathay Pacific Airways, Hong Kong Express, Hong Kong Airlines and Greater Bay Airlines. In Canada, tickets from either Vancouver or Toronto will be distributed through Cathay Pacific.

A limited number of roundtrip economy class tickets to Hong Kong will be offered in Canada starting on May 17 at 6:00 p.m. PST/9:00 p.m. EST. There is a limit of one ticket per transaction while supplies last. Ticket sales close on May 23, 2023 or until all tickets are sold, whichever comes first.

For a chance to access the tickets, Canadians must sign up on the Cathay Pacific website in order to receive a unique code on May 17 to claim this limited-time offer.  Although the base fare is waived, travellers are still responsible for taxes, airport fees and other charges.

Aside from air tickets, the Hong Kong Tourism Board, in collaboration with the tourism and hospitality sectors, has assembled an array of offers from over 16,000 outlets across the city to welcome back visitors. Initially, at least one million ‘Hong Kong Goodies’ visitor consumption vouchers will be distributed through the HKTB’s visitor centers. These vouchers include complimentary welcome drinks at participating bars, restaurants and hotels, or cash vouchers redeemable in the transportation, culinary and retail sectors, as well as at various attractions.

To complement these offers, Hong Kong has also unveiled a host of new and upgraded attractions in recent years, most notable the M+ and Hong Kong Palace Museum at the West Kowloon Cultural District, the sixth-generation Peak Tram, Water World Ocean Park, Hong Kong Disneyland’s nighttime spectacle, ‘Momentous,’ as well as enhanced waterfront promenades offering views of Victoria Harbour. Plus, the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races are poised to make a comeback from June 24-25 in Victoria Harbour following a four-year hiatus.

Launched in February 2023, ‘Hello Hong Kong’ signals Hong Kong’s readiness to welcome back visitors. The Hong Kong government lifted its mask mandate on March 1, 2023, while the Canadian government lifted its temporary pre-departure test requirements for air travellers from China, Hong Kong and Macao on Marcy 17, 2023.