Culture-themed tours capitalize on incentives

About 1,600 tours have registered for cash incentives offered by the Characteristic Local Tourism Incentive Scheme as of the end of March.

The incentives range from HK$200 to HK$400 per tourist, depending on the tour's theme. Among these are one-day trips designed for foreigners that include activities such as enjoying dim sum and riding the tram, visiting the historic Blue House in Wan Chai and experiencing the unique villain-hitting ritual at Bowrington in Causeway Bay.

Jeff, a tourist from the United Kingdom, said it is important to have a knowledgeable tour guide who can provide valuable insights.

"There is no way we could have found all this information on our own in such a short time," he said. "A tour guide with extensive knowledge is incredibly valuable."

Christine, also from the UK, attended the Jin Yong exhibition and expressed delight in discovering previously unknown stories, adding she is eager to visit Hong Kong again.

"I feel like I haven't had enough time to see everything, so I definitely need to come back," she said.

The scheme was launched in 2022 to incentivize the travel industry by developing more tourism products and itineraries that highlight the city's cultural heritage.

It operates across two categories: "in-depth travel" and "thematic travel," which comes with a HK$200 and HK$400 incentive per tourist respectively. Each category is capped at 100 local and 100 inbound participants.

To participate, travel agencies must register their itineraries with the Travel Industry Council in advance and apply for incentives after the tour takes place. Payments are typically received around two months later.

For thematic tours, the council requires a comprehensive itinerary review before granting cash incentives.

As of March, about 1,600 itineraries have been registered, with around 73 percent applying for incentives.

Council executive director Fanny Yeung Shuk-fan expressed her admiration for the scheme's positive impact on the quality of tour offerings.

She added that industry players have demonstrated renewed creativity and innovation, resulting in the development of unique tour products and an overall improvement in quality.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board will launch its first pyrotechnic display on the evening of May 1 at the East Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade to welcome the Labour Day golden week, a peak travel season for mainland tourists. The first drone shows will take place on May 11 at the Wan Chai temporary promenade.

These events aim to enhance the visitor experience during the golden week while also providing an opportunity for locals to enjoy the shows.

marcus.lum@singtaonewscorp.com