'Romancing Hong Kong' helps HKTB lure visitors

Leading actors and actresses of Romancing Hong Kong, a syndicated TV drama series with a storyline of Hong Kong's tourism, appeared in a publicity event in Stanley today to help promote Hong Kong's tourism. Organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and the drama's production company, Odeon Media Group Limited, the star-studded event attracted close to 100 media representatives from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia.

The cast of Romancing Hong Kong includes celebrities Aaron Kwok and Wong Hei from Hong Kong and Li Bing Bing, You Yong and Han Xue from Mainland China. Attending the event today, HKTB Executive Director Clara Chong thanked the stars for their support in HKTB's promotional efforts. 

"We all know that television is a very effective communication medium since it can reach audience across a large spectrum. Through the syndicated TV drama series, we can showcase Hong Kong's diverse and multi-dimensional attractions to viewers worldwide, thereby promoting Hong Kong as a preferred leisure destination," Ms Chong said.

Screening of Romancing Hong Kong started in mid October 2003. In the coming weeks, it will be aired on major TV channels in the Mainland, Taiwan and various parts of Southeast Asia including CETV in Beijing, CTV in Taiwan and Starhub in Singapore. It is estimated that there will be more than one billion viewers worldwide, thereby creating a publicity value of over HK$60 million for Hong Kong.

The broadcast ties in with the recent launch of the HKTB global advertising campaign 'Hong Kong - Live it, Love it!' and will help publicise the attractions and sensational experiences of Hong Kong to visitors worldwide.

Ms Chong explained that the HKTB has strongly supported the filming of Romancing Hong Kong since many visitors especially those from the short haul markets, are great fans of TV dramas starring celebrities. "We hope that this production, which features renowned artistes from Hong Kong and the Mainland against a backdrop of Hong Kong images will stimulate viewers' desires to visit Hong Kong, to see and feel for themselves the attractions here," she said.

During the filming of Romancing Hong Kong, the HKTB offered assistance in the selection of sightseeing locations to ensure that the multi-dimensional attractions of Hong Kong would be captured in the programme. The Board plans to launch a series of promotional activities to tie in with the broadcast in various markets and is strongly encouraging the travel trade to develop Romancing Hong Kong tours to leverage on the publicity created by the drama. Travel trade partners from Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Zhongshan already have plans to introduce such tours, which will include attractions such as the Lam Tsuen Wishing Trees in Tai Po and the Tsing Ma Bridge as featured in the drama episodes. The HKTB will promote these tours actively during trade shows in Taipei, which will feature leading actors and actresses of the drama to strengthen the publicity. 

In view of the high level of visitor interest in the TV dramas and their filming locations, the HKTB is creating special "drama maps" to enable visitors, especially the frequent individual travellers (FIT) to visit the many sightseeing locations that appeared in Romancing Hong Kong. In addition, the HKTB is organising a series of media familiarisation visits for overseas media representatives to visit these locations and will sponsor lucky draws, the winners of which can enjoy free Hong Kong packages and the chance to meet the leading actor, Aaron Kwok in Hong Kong.