MUMBAI: The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has launched the Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) version of its leisure guide for business travellers.
The launch of this new electronic guide falls under the promotional strategies of the "2006 Discover Hong Kong Year" campaign, which targets key segments, including high-yield business travellers.
By providing these travellers with instant access to information about Hong Kong, the PDA leisure guide will help them explore the new facets of the city, and encourage them to extend their stay and spending by taking part in more leisure activities.
HKTB executive director Clara Chong said that the PDA leisure guide was designed and tailor-made for business travellers. "Targeting the practical needs of business visitors, we have adopted a simple, convenient and interactive model to deliver the most up-to-date, useful and diverse travel information. Through interactive functions, we guide visitors to different attractions and locations, so that they can make the best use of their leisure time to enjoy all the shopping, dining and sightseeing fun of Hong Kong. We hope that once they've experienced the city's multi-dimensional attractions, they will be encouraged to extend their stay and spending."
To assess the needs of business visitors and to identify the most convenient and efficient channels for disseminating comprehensive travel information, the HKTB conducted in-depth market surveys among business travellers. These surveys show that business travellers generally have very hectic schedules and limited time for leisure activities. Convenient and handy information therefore allows them to plan their activities and make the best use of their leisure time, states an official release.
Available for free download, the guide features a user-friendly interface, interactive search engine and language guide. Given their busy schedules, the HKTB strongly encourages business visitors to download the guide to their PDA prior to departure so that they can access information on Hong Kong at their fingertips any time and anywhere, and can plan and select activities that satisfy their interests, the release adds.
Through its worldwide offices, the internet, roadshows and other publicity channels, the HKTB will publicise the PDA leisure guide to the travel trade, media and consumers worldwide, including the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, Southeast Asia, Mainland China and Taiwan. The Board is actively encouraging visitors to download the guide prior to arrival so that they can make advanced plans.
The PDA leisure guide is the HKTB's first major initiative for developing the business travel segment under the "2006 Discover Hong Kong Year" campaign. As part of a comprehensive strategy for tapping this segment, the HKTB launched the printed version of the Hong Kong Leisure Guide for Business Travellers last year, which has been very well received. To tie in with the 2006 Discover Hong Kong Year, the HKTB will continue to develop other information tools to help different visitor segments explore Hong Kong in accordance with their interests, so that they can enjoy the city's multi-dimensional experience even more conveniently.
The PDA edition of the Hong Kong Leisure Guide for Business Travellers is available in English, traditional and simplified Chinese. Visitors can download the application free from the HKTB's web site via the link http://www.DiscoverHongKong.com/pda.
