Hong Kong is providing away 500,000 free of charge airline tickets. Are they readily available to Europeans?

Hong Kong is offering absent 500,000 airline tickets in an effort to woo travelers again to the area.

Airways have been releasing the tickets in stages given that March. They have been designed readily available to Europeans in May possibly.

The town taken out the final of its strict vacation limitations in March, including all pre-departure and publish-arrival quarantine and screening. Its mask mandate ended after being in place for above 2.5 many years – a person of the longest of any region. 

Now Hong Kong is hoping to bounce again from the substantial impact the pandemic had on its tourism marketplace. And portion of its plan requires giving absent 500,00 airline tickets worthy of a lot more than €250 million.

Hong Kong gained 56 million readers in 2019 – above 7 moments its populace – ahead of the pandemic started. But its stringent COVID limits held readers absent above the previous 3 years, devastating the tourism sector and its financial state. The city’s GDP final yr fell 3.5 per cent from 2021, in accordance to the government’s provisional facts.

How does Hong Kong’s totally free ticket plan operate?

The giveaway began on 1 March and is established to past for about 6 months, with tickets produced in phases.

The totally free tickets were being in the beginning acquired to assistance airways in the course of the pandemic. 

65 for every cent of the tickets are currently being distributed by Hong Kong-primarily based airlines Cathay Pacific, HK Convey, Hong Kong Airways and Greater Bay Airlines as a result of their direct channels or their agents. 

The remaining tickets are reserved for tourism-linked sectors to guidance inbound tourism and encourage Hong Kong.

The giveaway takes different varieties, ranging from lucky draws, to to start with-occur-to start with-served, to purchase a person, get 1 free.

Who can implement for Hong Kong’s free of charge flight tickets?

Tickets have been dispersed progressively on the airlines’ abroad platforms beginning with Southeast Asian nations in March, adopted by mainland China in April, and Northeast Asia, Europe and other marketplaces from May. Giveaways for Japan and Taiwan will launch in June and July.

You can register for participation by using Hong Kong Airport’s internet site and the airlines’ individual websites.

All tickets are spherical-excursion financial system class, and winners will be dependable for shelling out all relevant surcharges, charges and taxes.

The ticket limit has presently been achieved for Europe, with the final flights becoming given away between 10-16 Might. 

Hong Kong gave absent 3,260 tickets from London, 900 from Frankfurt, 380 from Zurich, 950 from Paris and 350 from Madrid. For these who entered the quiz, winners will be introduced via email on 5 June. 

Registration is even now open for entrants from the US and Canada, South Korea, Taiwan, Australia, New Zealand, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and South Africa. 

A lot more tickets will be introduced for mainland China in the third quarter of the campaign.

A more 80,000 cost-free outbound air tickets will be given to Hong Kong people in July, with more reserved for people living in the Higher Bay Location. In full, far more than 700,000 tickets will be supplied away.

What discount rates are out there in Hong Kong?

The cost-free flights are element of the broader $2 billion (€1.8 bn) ‘Hello Hong Kong’ marketing campaign, which also gives visitors with particular features and vouchers among the other incentives in the town.

One particular million vouchers truly worth over HKD100 (€11.60) each will give reductions on foodstuff, drinks, transport, inns, retail and sights. They will be dispersed at tourist inquiry counters situated at 4 border checkpoints from 5pm on 2 February, in accordance to Time Out Hong Kong. 

The town will also host extra than 250 activities and festivals throughout 2023, from the Hong Kong Marathon to the Clockenflap music competition, Artwork Basel and Hong Kong Rugby Sevens.

What are the entry necessities for Hong Kong?

Hong Kong had some of the strictest regulations for travellers throughout the pandemic.

The town largely aligned itself with mainland China’s ‘zero-COVID’ system and has calm its entry procedures months slower than rivals such as Singapore, Japan and Taiwan. 

In September, mandatory quarantine on arrival was dropped. But even after Hong Kong reopened its border with mainland China in January, tourism recovery was sluggish.

Now, the guidelines have been comfortable entirely. The Hong Kong governing administration advises inbound travellers to carry out a quick antigen test on arrival and once again on day 5 of their stop by. But if you test constructive, you are no for a longer time essential to isolate.

Due to the fact 6 February, evidence of vaccination is no lengthier required for non-Hong Kong residents. This means you do not will need to be thoroughly vaccinated, or present evidence of vaccination to enter Hong Kong.

You are no for a longer period essential to test or quarantine when travelling from Hong Kong to mainland China. Even so, if you have frequented a 3rd country inside the past seven times, a negative PCR test taken inside 48 several hours of arrival in the mainland is essential.

Masks are no lengthier enforced on general public transportation, indoors or outdoor, although they might even now be necessary in some high-danger options. This was the city’s past remaining COVID-19 restriction, and was earlier enforced with HK$5,000 (€600) fines.

Hong Kong absolutely reopens border with mainland China

On 6 February, all travel restrictions amongst Hong Kong and mainland China ended up dropped.

Right until then a adverse PCR test was essential, as properly as pre-registration to get authorization to vacation by way of land.

At a press meeting Hong Kong’s Main Government John Lee mentioned, “A entire opening of the border implies, first of all, that there will be no restrict on the range of folks at all border crossings, no want to make prior reservations, and you can journey freely as you want.

“Next, the need for pre-entry COVID-19 testing will be abolished, so that COVID and other checks will no longer be necessary, and (men and women) are absolutely free to enter and depart. Thirdly, all immigration control details will be opened.”

Virgin Atlantic stops flights to Hong Kong immediately after 30 years

The closure of Russian airspace right after the invasion of Ukraine suggests some airlines won’t be resuming products and services to the town.

Virgin Atlantic declared in autumn that it would be closing its offices in Hong Kong after 30 years. Flights to the town have been suspended when the pandemic strike and experienced been because of to return as part of the 2023 summer season schedule.

The carrier created the selection to pull out of the Asian travel hub entirely. Many aspects contributed to the determination which include the closure of Russian airspace adding at minimum an hour to journey situations.

Consumers who had booked to travel to Hong Kong with Virgin Atlantic from March 2023 have been supplied a refund, voucher or the solution to rebook on an alternate route with the airline.

Taiwan is also incentivising holidaymakers to pay a visit to

Taiwan just lately launched its own scheme to improve customer quantities. It is offering to fork out vacationers just more than €150 to holiday there this 12 months.

The East Asian place is seeking to welcome 6 million holidaymakers in 2023, and hopes lining their wallets with NT$5,000 (€158) will assist win them about.

Saying the proposal in February, Minister Wang Kwo-tsai stated that the tourists’ expending funds will be sent digitally and can be place to lodging and other expenses in the country.

He did not specify when the scheme would get started.