Super March turns events into business opportunities and unforgettable visitor experiences
HKTB promotional campaign boosts visitor engagement to maximise impacts of major events such as HK Sevens, Art Basel HK and ComplexCon HK
The eyes of the world have been fixed on Hong Kong during March as it celebrates the vibrant “Super March” – a promotional campaign launched by Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to highlight the city’s distinctive allure with a series of themed marketing initiatives tied to the month’s mega-events.
The month started with a star-studded official opening ceremony of the city’s Kai Tak Sports Park on March 1. The state-of-the-art, 28-hectare (70-acre) venue for sports, entertainment, tourism and exhibition extravaganzas was created on the site of Hong Kong’s former Kai Tak international airport on the Kowloon waterfront. Facilities include the 55,000 all-seat Kai Tak Stadium – the new home of the Hong Kong Sevens.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu believes the HK$30 billion (US$3.9 billion) park will help to foster the city as “a capital of mega-events”. He also says Hong Kong’s mega-events during the first half of this year are expected to attract 840,000 visitors and generate HK$3.3 billion in spending.
Yet Super March is not just about promoting the numerous events taking place in Hong Kong. The campaign aims to leverage these events to invigorate local neighbourhoods, enhance visitors’ experiences and publicise the city’s unique charm globally through improved event experiences, special travel offers and worldwide promotions.
Dane Cheng, HKTB’s executive director, says that the campaign has been tailored to ensure it appeals to the widest possible audience by combining publicity for the various mega-events with precise marketing, arranged thematically by date, festival and event type.
He adds: “To elevate the experience for visitors and locals attending Hong Kong’s diverse mega-events, HKTB is bringing together various events in town, and marketing them through thematic promotions by month, festival or event type to enhance publicity and deliver a richer, more immersive experience.”
Cultural reminders enhance events’ appeal
ComplexCon Hong Kong – a three-day festival and exhibition featuring fashion, art, limited-edition merchandise, food and music, including pop concerts – returned to Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo with a bigger, more innovative experience after it hosted last year’s successful Asian debut.
HKTB created an enticing interactive booth, highlighting the sights and clicking sounds of tiles moving during the game of mahjong – one of Hong Kong’s traditional pastimes – alongside the many booths of major cultural brands during the festival. It was part of the tourism office’s efforts to enhance attractions for visitors at landmark events while promoting the city as a regional cultural hub.
The booth featured two backdrops – one resembling a local housing estate’s communal courtyard, the other a retro wedding banquet – with staff dressed as mahjong-playing characters inspired by popular films. They invited visitors to play mahjong, offering a glimpse into Hong Kong’s social and neighbourhood cultures and a taste of an authentic local experience that has transcended generations.
It also collaborated with artists from the city and Guangzhou to create “Studio Central” – highlighting community stories – at Art Central. The event, which this year is celebrating its 10th anniversary, offers a platform for Hong Kong, regional and international galleries to showcase distinguished artists from Asia and around the world.
Finally, as the global partner of Art Basel – one of the world’s leading international art fairs featuring 240 premier galleries from Asia and beyond – HKTB has curated a unique speakeasy experience for this year’s event, to help promote the city’s cultural history, featuring locally themed cocktails and decor inspired by renowned local artist Stephen Wong Chun-hei.
In a similar vein, HKTB built a Hong Kong-themed fan village and organised a lion dance performance at the LIV Golf Hong Kong tournament – part of the LIV men’s professional tour at Hong Kong Golf Club, at Fanling, from March 7 to 9 – to promote the city’s traditional cultural activities among the players and spectators.
Super March is ending with three of the city’s biggest mega-events – Hong Kong Sevens, featuring the world’s top rugby sevens teams, running from Friday until Sunday, and two annual art events that are cornerstones of Hong Kong Art Week, Art Central, from Wednesday until Sunday, and Art Basel Hong Kong, from Friday until Sunday.
HKTB has been involved in elevating the experiences of visitors at each of these events. The tourism office has arranged a spectacular new laser show and pyrotechnic display for the three-day Hong Kong Sevens tournament in Kai Tak Sports Park.
Travel deals and online guides entice visitors
The tourism office has also helped this month’s many events to boost Hong Kong’s tourism and economy by offering promotions and special offers for visitors staying in the city. It has teamed up with more than 1,500 shops, entertainment venues and restaurants – especially those near the various events – to offer about 160 exclusive partnership deals to residents and tourists.
The Super March landing page on HKTB’s website features a selection of exclusive partner offers, tailored for sports and arts lovers, organised into three major categories: Arts and Cultural Picks, Kai Tak Hot Picks, and Fashionable Finds and Treats.
Perks include special gifts when shopping at MoMA Design Store and Hot Toys, a 15 per cent discount at Joypolis Sports – the first international flagship of the indoor sports park at Kai Tak Sports Park – and deals at top restaurants including the two-Michelin-star Bo Innovation.
The website, along with dedicated social media platforms, also provides a convenient calendar for updates on the latest news and schedules about the events.
Campaign message reaches global audience
The campaign extends beyond the city’s borders. HKTB has been able to publicise Super March to international audiences, after inviting more than 40 celebrities and influencers to promote the city by sharing their experiences on social media.
Celebrities who have posted online comments while visiting the city include South Korean actor Wi Ha-joon, best-known for his role in Netflix’s hit drama series Squid Game, mainland Chinese pop-singer Zhang Yuan and the up-and-coming Thai actors Boss Chaikamon Sermsongwittaya and Noeul Nuttarat Tangwai.
Judd Trump, the world No 1 snooker player and Hong Kong resident, who played in the city’s World Grand Prix earlier this month, and retired Scotland rugby international Ryan Wilson, who is visiting the city for the Hong Kong Sevens, are also part of HKTB’s star-studded promotional line-up.
HKTB says the social media initiative has already attracted an audience of more than 10 million followers.
Advertisements promoting the city’s Super March campaign have also been prominently displayed at major train stations and landmarks in London and Sydney, and on popular social media platforms in mainland China.