A massive relaunch aims to sign up former US president Bill Clinton and the Rolling Stones for the celebrations Hong Kong's $1 billion relaunch campaign is aiming for the stars: with any luck, former US president Bill Clinton, ex-New York mayor Rudi Giuliani, American-Latino singing star Ricky Martin and rock legends the Rolling Stones will spearhead the city's drive to reassert itself as Asia's 'World City'. With the threat of Sars receding in Hong Kong following the lifting of the World Health Organisation's travel advisory on Friday, details of the relaunch campaign have been revealed to the Sunday Morning Post. They come from a source within the Economic Recovery Group, a high-powered taskforce led by Financial Secretary Antony Leung Kam-chung. According to the source, invitations are being prepared for a number of top political and entertainment celebrities from around the world. If all goes to plan, they will be joined in celebrations in Hong Kong by some of the nation's top leadership. While full details of the campaign, such as dates, are expected to be announced soon, a source told the Post that the taskforce's mandate is to 'think big' and that 'these names are just the tonic Hong Kong needs'. Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa is expected to visit Britain in November to 'sell' Hong Kong as a safe place to visit and invest in, while Mr Leung will visit major financial centres such as New York, London, Brussels, Frankfurt and Tokyo, to promote business opportunities in Hong Kong and reassure international investors. Unveiling the $1 billion campaign on Friday, Mr Leung said that the campaign was not just looking abroad, but would also encourage Hong Kong people to start spending again. It is understood that the taskforce is having to speed up its planning, as it was caught on the hop by the early lifting of the WHO's travel advisory on Friday. However, George Yuen Kam-ho, chief executive of the Better Hong Kong Foundation, said it was fortunate that the advisory on Guangdong had been lifted at the same time. This would allow their plans to include the promotion of tour packages to the Pearl River Delta, which would coincide with celebrations marking the sixth anniversary of the handover from Britain. 'We want to encourage Hong Kong people to get back to normal routines,' said Mr Yuen. 'We would also like to tell the world that Hong Kong is a safe place and worth visiting.' Members of the taskforce would lead by example, Mr Yuen said, by dining and drinking at popular places around Hong Kong to get their message across. The campaign will involve an advertising blitz, community events, a wide range of shows and overseas visits. It has already been announced that English Premiership side Liverpool will take part in an exhibition soccer match at Hong Kong Stadium in July. It won't be all fun and games, however. The Trade Development Council will also be stepping up its planned activities, including several major international business conventions. The Better Hong Kong Foundation planned to reactivate its overseas programmes, Mr Yuen said. 'Hong Kong has experienced many ups and downs in the past 50 years. We were the prototypical comeback kid, taking blow after blow but always coming back stronger and stronger,' he said. 'Adversity draws out the best in us.'
