Hong Kong tapping M!CE trends
HKTB has strengthened its partner relationships to keep the destination top-of-mind when outbound travel from India begins again, says Puneet Kumar, Director, SA & ME, HKTB
How is HK as a M!CE destination for Indian corporates?
India has long been a key strategic short-haul market for Hong Kong; way back in 2014, Hong Kong was among the first few overseas M!CE destinations that created a dedicated recognition programme, ‘Top Agent Awards Programme (TAAP), to acknowledge the contribution of M!CE agents in India. The response has been very encouraging, the number of participating agencies have grown manifold over the years.
Is HK looking to promote itself as a M!CE destination for the Indian market?
To me, a great destination for incentive travel from India should offer great connectivity, top standard in hygiene, unique experiences and great cuisine options, which Hong Kong offers. All through the lockdown imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, we remained connected with our corporate and travel trade stakeholders, updating them about the Hong Kong Government's hygiene measures. We have leveraged on this window to sustain our partner relationships, educating and engaging them to keep the destination top-of-mind when the outbound travel is at pause mode.
The HKTB has launched 360 Hong Kong Moments, a series of virtual-reality (VR) adventure. This allows our partners to embark on a journey across Hong Kong's surprisingly easy-toaccess green territory, fully immersing in the sensations of the city's scenes without leaving their homes.
What are some of the new incentive ideas HKTB has curated for M!CE recovery?
In anticipation of the resumption of travel, the team has been developing new themed itineraries that answer the emerging trend of experiential, wellness and interest-based travel, such as CSR and wellness. Many new inspirational ideas and refreshed experiences are curated to enrich corporate Meetings & Incentive (M&I) groups' itineraries, and to encourage them rediscover Hong Kong with a new lens.
Do you have a tactical campaign for M&I?
The Meetings & Exhibitions Hong Kong (MEHK), the
Safety & hygiene standards, direct flights rate much higher as the critical M&I destination selection criteria
M!CE division of the Hong Kong Tourism Board is committed to welcome back Indian M&I groups to Hong Kong. Along with our Hong Kong industry partners, we will be curating exclusive offers and incentives under the MeetON@HongKong campaign to make it a rewarding experience for the visiting corporate delegates.
The programme will further be enhanced with additional offers from hotels, free ticket from airline, attractions and more.
What about trade partnerships?
We will also be collaborating with our travel trade partners in India, who are focused on the M!CE segment. MEHK will be working with their teams to create compelling offers for their corporate customers, supporting their outreach initiatives for lead generation and assisting them during their planning process.
Moreover, representatives from trade associations, universities and chambers of commerce were invited to become Hong Kong Convention Ambassadors under the new programme to promote Hong Kong as a convention destination.
How do you think the M!CE travel landscape will change now?
Most Indian corporates now prefer short-haul destinations. Some of them plan to operate a series of smaller groups vis-a-vis a single large group. Hong Kong Tourism Board will have a new scheme in response to this latest trend. Safety & hygiene standards and availability of direct flights rate much higher as the critical M&I destination selection criteria.
Corporate decision-makers in India are also open to introduce new elements and experiences for their M&I groups — these include outdoor venues, team-building activities, cultural experiences, nature trails besides exploring fresh options of organising their gala dinner at eclectic locations, so Hong Kong has been developing tactical programmes and curating new ideas to tap the latest M&I trends.
And what do your interactions with the Indian corporates reveal?
Majority of the corporate customers are planning to rollout their incentive schemes gradually starting from the first half of 2021, aided by the successful rollout of the vaccine drive in India. It has helped to bring back the travel confidence, the corporates plan to gradually resume their incentive travel movements in Q3-Q4 of 2021. The virtual (or hybrid) event formats, and domestic destinations are only a short-term measure. They cannot substitute for the aspiration associated with an international travel experience, especially for incentive travel.
Hong Kong ranks high amongst the preferred incentive destinations with its proven track record, effective handling of the pandemic and addressing the potential compliance concerns in terms of health, hygiene and safety.