Tourism Board Plans Staycation And Local Tour Offers

The Tourism Board said on Wednesday it's planning to give away local tours and staycation discounts to boost consumption once the pandemic condition is stabilised here.

The board's executive director, Dane Cheng, said they decided to bring back the popular programme after the 10,000 quotas for free day trips were fully booked in a week at the end of last year.

Like last time, those who spend HK$800 in local businesses can go on a local tour free of charge – but this time they also have the alternative option to enjoy a HK$500 discount when checking into a hotel here.

Cheng told an online press conference that they hope more choices of reward will help encourage local consumption.

“Other than tour packages, organised or operated by tour operators [and] travel agents, is there anything else that is relevant and related to the travel industry? And naturally hotel [staycation] is something we think that the Hong Kong residents will very much like to enjoy as a reward," he said.

Cheng said there will be 20,000 quotas each for the free tours and staycation discounts, with 200 travel agencies and 140 hotels having already applied to take part in the scheme.

But he said they haven't set a roll-out date for the programme, saying it all depends on how Hong Kong does in combating the coronavirus.