DURANO EYES BIGGER SLICE OF HK TOURISTS Hong Kong WinterFest launched in Manila

Taking advantage of the growing number of Filipinos traveling to Hong Kong estimated to reach 300,000 this year, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) held in Manila over the weekend a special launching of its WinterFest. No less than Ms. Clara Chong, HKTB executive director flew to Manila to hold a press conference at the The Peninsula Manila on the festival to run from Nov. 26 to Jan. 2.

Meanwhile, Tourism Secretary Joseph Ace Durano has expressed his desire to lure a bigger slice of Hong Kong’s more than 15 million travelers, six million of which come from Mainland China, to boost tourist arrivals to the country while citing the natural attractions of the Philippines as a strong complement to Hong Kong’s urban attractions.

Durano, also chairman of the Board of the Philippine Convention and Visitors Corporation (PCVC), recently met with officials of HKTB led by Chong to discuss "twinning" efforts as a major component of a previous memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the two parties.

The previous MoU, entered into by former secretary, now Senator Richard Gordon, has benefited the Philippines with 155,000 tourist arrivals for 2003 from Hong Kong.

Taking off from the success of this previous undertaking, Durano and Chong agreed to renew the MoU and to organize working groups that will discuss and finalize the operational components and details to further strengthen the previous agreement. Components will include the promotion of new tourism packages to be offered as pre and post convention tours to the participants and organizers of several of the biggest major international conventions that will be held in Hong Kong.

Also in attendance were PCVC executive director Danny Corpuz, BITP OIC Edu Jarque, HKTB Regional Director for Southeast Asia David Leung and HKTB General Manager for Marketing Aliana Ho.

Going back to HK WinterFest, Chong said the Statue Square in Central district will be transformed into a Santa’s Town to feature different Santa-themed settings, festive entertainment, lights and decorations.

As in the past two years, the centerpiece of the decorations will be Hong Kong’s tallest outdoor Dazzling Christmas Tree, a colorful addition to the city’s magnificent harborfront and festive skyline. This 35-meter, 12-storey-tall Christmas tree is designed by renowned experts overseas, one of whom has previously worked on Christmas decorations in the White House.

The tree will be decorated with over 270,000 amber and white pin lights, the largest number ever used on such a tree in the city. It will also feature 2,300 pine cones; 5,800 yards of gold ribbon; and traditional garlands and ornaments in red and gold. Below the tree will be a giant mechanical music box. Together with other smaller music boxes in Santa’s town, it will offer a son et lumiere (sound and light) performance featuring colorful lighting effects and festive tunes every 30 minutes.

Throughout Hong Kong, over 2,900 selected shops and restaurants will offer discounts and other privileges while browsing through traditional winter sales.

Chong said the Hong Kong WinterFest now on its third consecutive year is expected to boost visitor arrivals by 13.4% to 2.49 million during the five-week period. Along with other mega-events throughout the year, it will help bring the total arrivals for 2004 to a historic high level.

She said that visitor arrivals for the first nine months of 2004 had already surpassed those recorded for the entire 12 months of 2003. "With the added appeal of Hong Kong WinterFest, we are confident that the growth momentum will continue through the last quarter of the year," she said. "We have therefore revised our forecast for 2004 from 20.5 million to 21.3 million.

"The WinterFest program has enjoyed phenomenal success in the past two years. Last year, it attracted almost 2.2 million visitors during the five-week event period, 8% more than in 2002.

To transform Statue Square into a fairytale Santa’s Town, the HKTB will follow the concept of Lapland or Santa’s Land in Finland and add unique Hong Kong elements. "Santa’s Town" will project the picturesque atmosphere of a European Christmas with its various themed settings, including a Snowy Chapel, Santa’s Lodge, Santa’s Post Office, Santa’s Workshop and Charity Corner.

At the Snowy Chapel, visitors will be able to see snowflakes float through the air in the sub-tropical city on special dates. The romantic chapel will be the center stage for the launch ceremony and performances by local and overseas groups, including the internationally acclaimed Winchester College Chapel Choir from the UK. During the weekends and festive days, there will be carol singing and traditional cultural performances.

Another enticing new element that highlights the theme of "Love and Care" will be the Mistletoe Boulevard that runs from the "Star" Ferry Pier through the covered walkway and pedestrian tunnel to Statue Square. This will be the first time that mistletoe – a traditional Christmas decoration in the West – has been used for a themed setting in Hong Kong.