"When we open, we will open with our arms fully extended."
That was the message from Michael Lim, Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board in Canada, as he welcomed travel media to a Hong Kong-style breakfast meeting at the Good Luck Hong Kong Café in North Toronto.
While the destination is not quite ready to welcome large numbers of Canadian visitors due to the ongoing pandemic, Lim says there's plenty of pent-up demand. "Plan now, plan for the future," was Lim's advice to prospective travellers.
There is some good news on that front, with Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific preparing for its return to Canada, with Toronto service restarting in April and Vancouver flights in May.
Lim says the HKTB is expanding its marketing "in gradual stages" as reopening nears. As well as the first in-person meeting with media in a couple of years, there were meetings scheduled with key travel trade partners and tour operators.
The destination hasn't stood still during the pandemic. First-time and returning visitors will find new hotels, restaurants and the emerging West Kowloon Cultural District, a 40 hectare space filled with visual arts, performing arts and educational venues.
The famous Peak Tram that carries visitors to the upper levels of Hong Kong Island is also getting a major facelift, double capacity and adding glass roofs to the trams. The reward at the top is incredible views of Hong Kong's skyscrapers and harbour.
Along with colleagues Jorge Lee and recent-hire Carol Lee (no relation), Lim is working out how to reach key ethnic, luxury and youth markets through a range of marketing initiatives, including traditional radio and TV as well as an expanded social media presence - even TikTok videos are part of the mix.
"The journey to travel is different for various market segments," Lim said. "We need to understand their motivations and find the best ways to reach them."
The Good Luck Hong Kong Café is modelled after a typical Hong Kong eatery. BlogTO describes it as "a restaurant in Toronto serving over-the-top Canto-Western dishes in a space that looks like it's right out of a movie."
Lim chose the restaurant, owned by Calvin Choi, because of its representation of "Hong Kong's spirit." The sweet and savoury dishes featured surprising and delightful flavours, demonstrating why it has drawn long lineups since its opening last October.
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