2006 HK Shopping Festival recruits 7,500 merchant outlets to drive citywide shopping frenzy

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will stage the 2006 Hong Kong Shopping Festival between 24 June and 31 August 2006. To tie in with 2006 Discover Hong Kong Year, the Board will actively promote different shopping locations around the city. To date, a record of more than 7,500 merchant outlets have already confirmed their participation, making this year's Festival the largest ever. As well as underlining merchants' confidence in this mega shopping promotion, the record participation will add to the fabulous offers that visitors and local residents can enjoy this summer.

Six facets to showcase the diverse Hong Kong shopping experience

Organized by the HKTB for the fifth consecutive year, the mega summer shopping promotion will carry the theme "Discover the Diverse Shopping Experience" this year. Surveys by the HKTB showed that visitors, especially those from long-haul markets, are interested in open-air markets and Chinese authentic specialities, besides shopping in malls and designer boutiques. At the same time, many short-haul visitors make special trips to Hong Kong for its trendy merchandise. Building on visitors' preferences, the Festival will highlight the city's all-round, multi-faceted shopping experience, as offered by participating malls and department stores, open-air markets, top brand flagship stores, Chinese authentic speciality store clusters, trendy boutiques and themed shopping streets.

This year, the HKTB will once again organize the ever-popular Grand Lucky Draw, which will feature an unprecedented number of prizes. Altogether, 113 prizes worth HK$2.7 million will be available for the lucky winners, with the Grand Prize being an Audemars Piguet Jules Audemars watch valued at HK$590,000.

For the first time, the HKTB will create a mini-site on the Festival on its www.discoverhongkong.com web site to introduce the hottest deals and special offers by local merchants. Together with recommendations on shopping and sightseeing locations, visitors will be able to obtain the latest shopping tips and plan their visit prior to arriving in Hong Kong.

World-class entertainment to offer total travel experience

To broaden visitors' shopping experiences, the HKTB will once again stage the Aqua Fantasia multimedia water show. Making use of "Aqua Graphic Vision", the first time this multimedia technology will be used in Asia and outdoors globally, colourful images and words will appear on a transforming water curtain. The show will be staged beside the Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui nightly at 7:30 pm, 8:30 pm, 9:00 pm and 9:30 pm, with special pyrotechnic displays added on Saturdays. On 24 and 25 June, and 1 and 2 July, special pyrotechnic display will also be arranged off the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in the Wan Chai harbour during the staging of A Symphony of Lights.

Besides the spectacular Aqua Fantasia and A Symphony of Lights, various local merchant and retail organizations will organize an array of product expos and activities during the Festival period, while three food districts will stage special culinary promotions, living up to Hong Kong's reputation as the Events and Culinary Capital of Asia.

Global promotions to create extensive publicity worldwide

As in past years, the HKTB will organize the exciting and fun-filled Shopper of the Year contest to generate extensive global publicity. This year, contestants from a total of 20 markets - the highest number ever, and including such first-timers as Mexico and the Netherlands - will participate in the contest. At the end of August, the winners will travel to Hong Kong for the final round of the contest. As well as discovering Hong Kong's diverse shopping experience, they will enjoy the new and hidden attractions in the city.

The HKTB has been promoting the 2006 Hong Kong Shopping Festival around the world. In Mainland China, a six-episode travelogue featuring a treasure-hunt game will be broadcast in Shanghai to showcase the city's diverse shopping experience, while a mega "Hong Kong Fashion Week" will be staged for the first time in Thailand to introduce seven Hong Kong brands. As for the US, the HKTB will promote the Festival during major consumer roadshows. The Board will also cooperate with travel trade partners in various Asian markets to introduce special packages themed around the Festival, so as to attract more visitors during the summer season.