In Hong Kong, summer is not only the season of heat and energy, but also the perfect time to splurge, as the summer sale hails avid shoppers from around the world. This summer, there are even more reasons to come and spend in Hong Kong.

Building on the successful partnership last year, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is joining forces with Visa to offer shoppers in the city multiple chances of winning pre-paid credit and cash vouchers under its “Hong Kong Summer Spectacular” programme this year (17 June to 31 August). The HKTB hopes that the promotions, along with the loads of bargain deals by the retail and dining sectors, as well as the entertainment in town, will lure travellers from around the region and boost the sales for different business sectors, besides showcasing Hong Kong’s strengths as a fun and rewarding summer destination.

HKTB Executive Director Mr Anthony Lau said: “We are delighted to continue our partnership with Visa. As the global economy and consumer sentiments continue to improve, we have been seeing positive growth in visitor arrivals and spending since the beginning of this year. In the first quarter of 2011, per capita spending by overnight visitors went up by 10% year-on-year to around HK$7,300. To further stimulate visitors’ spending during the summer, taking advantage of this peak travel season among visitors in Mainland China and short-haul markets, we are rolling out a series of attractive promotions with Visa. We hope these will give visitors even greater incentive to come and spend in Hong Kong, further boosting the visitor arrivals and tourism receipts for our city.”

Mr Corbin Sun, Visa’s Acting Country Manager of Hong Kong and Macau, said: “Visa is pleased to work with the HKTB again in making Hong Kong a sought-after summer vacation spot for tourists. We have an extensive global payment network of tens of millions of merchant outlets and 1.8 million ATMs in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide that provides tourists with a convenient means to buy their favourite items wherever they go. This summer Visa and the HKTB will offer tourists a compelling reason to visit our city. Prizes are awaiting them as they enjoy their shopping experience as well as the ease of Visa payment in town.” 

This year, the HKTB and Visa are introducing two brand new “spend to win” promotions for both visitors and local residents. In the “Pay by Visa” promotion, for each week during the 11 weeks of Hong Kong Summer Spectacular, three Visa cardholders who have made the most number of transactions in Hong Kong with a single Visa card, and made their registration on Visa’s website earliest, will each receive a HK$10,000-Visa prepaid card. The more they swipe their Visa card, the greater their chance of winning.

As for the “Visa go Surprises” promotion, shoppers may find themselves surprised at designated shopping malls by a flash mob, which will randomly identify lucky shoppers each Saturday during the promotional period. The lucky shoppers will instantly receive cash vouchers upon presenting a shopping receipt from the mall. If the payment is made with their Visa card, they will also be awarded an additional Visa prepaid card.

Adding to these exciting promotions, the HKTB and Visa will jointly stage the “Visa go Hong Kong Super Shopper” contest for the second time to showcase Hong Kong’s cutting edge as a trend-setting destination. Consumers from key visitor source markets and Hong Kong will be selected to form teams of two to take part in the contest from 30 to 31 August. With the advice from professional stylists, the contestants will buy items for a stylish make-over with a certain budget. On the final day of the contest, the contestants will catwalk in the items they have purchased. The team that wins over the judges with their new look will be awarded HK$200,000 Visa spending amount. 

Meanwhile, the HKTB is bringing together a wave of cool events to create a truly memorable summer vacation for visitors in Asia’s World City. For the second year, it will stage the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival, which will feature the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races organised by the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Association. The HKTB will also promote the “Summer Pop – Live in Hong Kong” concert by the Performing Industry Association, as well as the plethora of exhibitions and activities by local attractions and other organisations, such as the Hong Kong Book Fair, the Food Expo and Lan Kwai Fong BeerFest. The combination of shopping, entertainment and cultural experiences is set to reinforce Hong Kong’s reputation as one of the hottest summer destinations in the region.

This summer, the HKTB and Visa are joining forces again to roll out a series of “spend to win” promotions, including “Pay by Visa”, “Visa go Surprises” and “Visa go Hong Kong Super Shopper”. These aim at stimulating spending by both visitors and local residents in Hong Kong, as well as showcasing the city’s cutting edge as a trend-setting destination.