MACAU, October 17 - Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO), the Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province and Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) jointly held the overseas tourism promotional events for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area, namely “Greater Bay Area – Connecting Great Experiences” in Frankfurt, Germany and London, the United Kingdom on 14 and 16 October respectively. The events introduced the latest tourism offerings of the three destinations to local industry partners and media, in a collaborative effort to promote multi-destination travel products and brand the Greater Bay Area as a glamorous destination for the European market, together expanding international visitor markets.

Promotional events in both cities boost visitor arrivals from Europe

After jointly organizing the destination presentation session in Paris this May, the three tourism entities rolled out the events of “Greater Bay Area – Connecting Great Experiences” in Frankfurt and London, engaging over 200 members of the travel trade in total for an update on Greater Bay Area tourism and discussions on collaborative development of tourism products. The events laid a foundation for unlocking the greater potential of the European market.

Deputy Director of MGTO, Jennifer Si Tou, Level II Bureau Rank Official, Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, Huang Xi Zhong, and Deputy Executive Director at Hong Kong Tourism Board, Becky Ip, attended the events in Frankfurt and London with other delegates.

Deputy Director of MGTO, Jennifer Si Tou, expressed her anticipation that the events of “Greater Bay Area – Connecting Great Experiences” in Frankfurt and London can deepen the destination appeal of the Greater Bay Area in international markets. The format of multi-destination travel will bring together the tourism resources of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for a breadth of colorful tourism experiences for European visitors. The three destinations will keep reinforcing regional cooperation in the future, joining hands to expand long-haul markets and transform the Greater Bay Area into a world-class destination.

Mr Huang Xi Zhong, Level II Bureau Rank Official, Department of Culture and Tourism of Guangdong Province, stated “This promotional event in Germany and the UK showcased the charm of the Greater Bay Area from multiple perspectives — the integration of diverse cultures, the resonance between tradition and modernity, and the coexistence of openness and innovation. Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao are leveraging the opportunity of co-hosting the 15th National Games to enrich the supply of high-quality cultural and tourism products, optimize consumption scenarios and services in the cultural tourism sector, and make good use of policies such as visa-free entry and tax refunds for outbound travelers. Through the convenient connectivity among cities in the Greater Bay Area and the ‘multi-destination’ travel routes, travelers from Europe and other regions can easily and comfortably explore the region’s rich and unique cultural tourism experiences.”

Becky Ip, Deputy Executive Director at Hong Kong Tourism Board, emphasizes: “Hong Kong, now more than ever, is the gateway to a world of travel adventures in China. This vibrant city, where East meets West, features an iconic skyline, bustling street markets, serene hiking trails, and hidden beaches, offering a rich blend of urban energy and natural beauty.”

Overseas KOLs share trip experiences in Greater Bay Area

German and British internet influencers were also invited to grace the events and share their travel experiences in the Greater Bay Area in September with local tourism operators and media. Besides, the tourism offices conducted promotions on social media platforms, leveraging the influence of famed KOLs to raise the destination appeal and reputation of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area in the European market.

The tourism promotional events of “Greater Bay Area – Connecting Great Experiences” were held with the aim to leverage the promotional synergy of the travel trade, media and KOLs and bring together the tourism resources and appeal of Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for complementary effects, attracting long-haul visitors from Europe to the Greater Bay Area for multi-destination travel, as the three destinations join hands to expand international visitor markets in concerted effort.

Through the cooperative mechanism enabled by the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Tourism Marketing Organization and the Alliance of Zhongshan, Zhuhai and Macao for Regional Cooperation in Tourism, MGTO has maintained regular communication with the tourism entities of Guangdong and Hong Kong among other destinations to explore the possibilities of launching collaborative initiatives for destination branding in different visitor markets.

In the future, the three destinations will keep promoting multi-destination tourism products in overseas markets via online travel platforms, stepping up the concerted development among Greater Bay Area cities to spotlight their innovative and distinctive resources in major overseas visitor markets.