Cathay Pacific Airways today starts to fly in close to 1,000 VIP guests to join the “Hong Kong Welcomes You” spectacular this weekend staged by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. This is part of a broader programme undertaken by the airline to support Hong Kong to rebuild the local tourism industry.
Cathay Pacific is flying in guests from 25 countries and regions. They are arriving from North America, South America, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, Europe, the Middle East, Southeast and North Asia. The guests will take part in a number of sightseeing activities and attend the special “Hong Kong Welcome Day” extravaganza. All these aim to showcase the best of Hong Kong and to promote the city’s status as a premium leisure and business destination.
Cathay Pacific’s ticket sponsorship for the “Hong Kong Welcome Day” is part of its on-going commitment to support the local travel industry in rebuilding tourism. In July, it announced the donation of 10,000 air tickets to the Hong Kong Tourism Board to help bring foreign media, trade industry representatives and visitors to Hong Kong between now and early next year so that they can see for themselves how life is back to normal.

Additionally, it has donated HK$2 million worth of air tickets as one of the grand prizes in the Tourism Board’s Hong Kong Super Draw, which runs from 1 August to 30 September 2003. Any Hong Kong resident or visitor can take part.

The airline has also given its backing to “Hong Kong Welcomes You Fairs” which will travel to the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia and will further promote Hong Kong by taking members of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing of Arts to perform in these areas.

Cathay Pacific Director and Chief Operating Officer Philip Chen said: “As the airline of Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific takes great pride and pleasure to be a major sponsor for this global event. We will continue with our efforts to support the Government and the tourism industry with initiatives to draw travellers back to Hong Kong and to strengthening Hong Kong’s status as the region’s aviation hub.”

Details about the Hong Kong Welcomes Day programme can be found on the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s website www.hktb.com.
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