The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) distributed 3,000 Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival passes to coinciding international conferences and exhibitions last month, in a push to promote the integration of bleisure experiences.
HKTB also leveraged the festival to host 80 top-tier business events planners from nine shorthaul markets for its annual fam trip. The highlight was the Toast to Success Gala Dinner – a ten-hand meal at The Tasting Room – designed to showcase new incentive products and recognise agent achievements. Agents then explored the festival’s global wines and cuisine on-site.
Event planners from Mainland China praised the festival for aggregating global culinary delights in one venue, stating that it would be highly appealing to inbound corporate groups.
Grand China MICE Holdings’ executive president, Jennifer Ma, remarked that the festival’s focus on food would be attractive to corporate groups from Mainland China. She noted the format successfully blends the wine experience with a sense of local Hong Kong life and East-meets-West culture.
Tony Wu, sales manager from Shanghai Airlines Event Management, welcomed the integration of such mega events into corporate itineraries, stating it “beefs up the overall experiences” for clients planning trips to Hong Kong.
Doris Lam, general manager from Momentous Asia Travel & Events, agreed, stating that the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival would work as evening entertainment. However, she suggested such mega events should last longer or be held more frequently outside its fixed dates, as business events visitor schedules often do not align.
“I would love to see more similar events held in Hong Kong more frequently – perhaps (HKTB can look into) partnering with more restaurants beyond the event venue to echo the wine and dine theme,” Lam said.
