Cathay Pacific Airways: airline to give away over 3,000 tickets to Hong Kong - how to apply

More than 3,000 round trip fares from the UK to Hong Kong will be handed out by Cathay Pacific Airways as part of the airline’s “World of Winner” campaign to drive tourism back into the country. 

The give away comes as the South China Morning Post announces the airline will award more than 27,000 tickets to Hong Kong residents - which will be redeemable to 46 destinations across 26 countries.

Travellers will be able to sign up for the tickets in May and they will be redeemable on the carrier’s services from London Heathrow (LHR) and Manchester (MAN) to Hong Kong International (HKG). 

The airline is offering more than just flights, with discounts being offered at restaurants, shops, museums and even a free drink at selected bars.

Why is Cathay Airlines giving away tickets? 

Cathay’s World of Winners campaign is supported by Airport Authority Hong Kong, as part of the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s (HKTB) "Hello Hong Kong" campaign. Introduced by leader John Lee Ka-Chiu, the project will end up costing the region HK$2 billion (£212 million) to run.

The statutory body is sponsoring the giveaway of up to 700,000 tickets in a bid to attract international visitors back to Hong Kong following the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. The country's visitors number increased last year but it is still yet to hit its pre-pandemic figures - as 2019 saw 56 million visitors to Hong Kong. 

Kenneth Wong, Regional Director of Europe, Hong Kong Tourism Board said: "Hong Kong is delighted to welcome visitors from Europe. It is a vibrant and diverse city offering everything from world-class museums, historic architecture, incredible dining and nightlife, and, beyond its iconic skyline, refreshing hiking experiences."

Vivian Cheung, Chief Operation Officer of Airport Authority Hong Kong, added: "As part of the relief package for Hong Kong’s aviation industry during the pandemic, we provided liquidity support to the home-based carriers in 2020 by sponsoring air tickets in advance, with the goal of using the tickets to promote traffic recovery when the pandemic subsides. Hong Kong has opened up and we are eager to welcome visitors from different parts of the world."

How to enter the giveaway 

The giveaway launches on 9 May at 9am, and will end on 15 May. To be in with a chance to win some tickets, you must be a Cathay Pacific member and apply via the airline’s website. Winners will receive an economy class round-trip ticket, excluding taxes and surcharges.

Tickets will be awarded on a first come, first-served basis to the first 3,260 members who enter the correct answers on the website. Earlier campaign rounds saw entrants correctly answer a series of multi-choice questions to apply successfully.

Winners will be contacted after 15 May. The prizes need to be redeemed between 5 June and 4 July and are valid for nine months - with blackout dates applicable. 

If you are one of the lucky winners, you can sign up for the discounted amenities on arrival to Hong Kong and then visit one of the Tourism Board Visitor Centres to collect your visitor consumption voucher in person.