Online travel portal Hutchison-Priceline is launching a series of promotional campaigns, including giving free tickets and hotel accommodation to the biggest spenders in the next six months.
Based on a partnership with Yahoo! Hong Kong, Priceline announced its Smart Travel Club for Yahoo! users this week. Members' Priceline purchases - the portal operates on a name-your-own-price system - will be recorded and after six months the highest spenders will be rewarded.
The biggest air ticket buyers will be offered 12 return tickets from Hong Kong to travel hotspots such as Bangkok, Tokyo, Singapore, Sydney, New York and London. The customer who spends the most on hotel bookings via Priceline can have three nights of hotel accommodation each month for a year.
Alfred Tsoi, Yahoo! Hong Kong's general manager, said the co-branded travel site - which will be officially launched on Monday - was also offering travel information and tips supplied by Priceline customers.
Mr Tsoi said he bought two return tickets on United Airlines to Tokyo in June for the World Cup final for HK$4,710, including tax and handling fees.
'I couldn't believe it when I received the tickets,' said Mr Tsoi.
'After the deal, I asked my secretary to check the normal price of a return ticket to Tokyo. I was told it cost about HK$4,000 each.'
