Get a free trip to Hong Kong without joining a raffle

One thing hasn’t changed since I was in college in the ‘80s  the desire, nay, the dream, to travel still ranks high in most Filipinos’ wish lists. Then, and now.

To travel abroad was my first aspiration as a young adult, the first wish I would have asked of the genie if he had popped out of my lamp. It seems that nothing much has changed to this day as traveling consistently ranks high on most people’s lists of favorite things to do.

“You told us you wanted to travel more, and we listened,” said HSBC president and CEO, Tony Cripps, who recently invited a group of writers to Hong Kong to stress his point.

At the landmark HSBC building at Hong Kong’s Central District (said to be built Lego-style), Cripps announced to us that thanks to HSBC’s new Platinum Visa and Cathay Pacific, you can visit more cities and more countries, more often, in a creative way.

“HSBC is the world’s local bank and Asia’s strongest banking brand. We’ve achieved this kind of global and local success by really listening to our customers and then developing products and solutions that address their specific needs. And we’re particularly proud to partner with Cathay Pacific, largest foreign airline in the Philippines, to offer some great international travel rewards,” Cripps added.

“We are indeed looking forward to being able to share the Cathay Pacific experience with HSBC clients,” said Ed Higgs, country manager of Cathay Pacific Philippines.

(And did I mention that my very first trip abroad was on Cathay Pacific, so to this day, it is to me the magic carpet that flew me to my dream?)

 “The partnership is quite timely as Cathay Pacific has recently unveiled two exciting new product enhancements: In the air, a new long haul Business Class cabin and on the ground, The Cabin, which is the latest addition to the collection of Cathay Pacific Group lounges at Hong Kong International Airport,” Higgs pointed out.

HSBC Platinum Visa cardholders can get a free round-trip ticket to Hong Kong with five charge slips of at least P10,000 each. Show 10 charge slips of at least P10,000 each to get a free round-trip ticket to Shanghai, Tokyo, Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Saigon and many other cities.

With 15 charge slips of at least P10,000 each, HSBC Platinum Visa cardholders can also get free round-trip tickets to other destinations such as the US, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa and the Middle East

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To generate awareness of these exciting new travel offers, HSBC and Cathay Pacific flew some media guests to Hong Kong for the day and hosted lunch for them at Cuisine Cuisine, one of Hong Kong’s most famous Cantonese restaurants and an Asia Miles dining partner that allows you to earn more miles. Accompanied by HSBC’s Johanna Garcia and Cathay’s Anna Lee, we left on Cathay’s 8:40 a.m. flight and landed in Hong Kong just past 10 a.m. We returned that very same day, on the 10 p.m. flight. We landed in Manila at 11:45 p.m., just before the dawning of a new day.

HSBC head of personal financial services Annette Tirol and SVP and head of group communications and sustainability Johanna Garcia.

The day-long trip baffled one immigration officer at Hong Kong’s International Airport, who seemed befuddled that a Filipina  world renowned for her shopping skills  would stay in Hong Kong for only a day.

“It just doesn’t make sense,” she told a colleague. Well, if you didn’t have to spend a peso on your ticket, why not?

“Our customers and their needs are important to us, so we constantly strive to give them the best value by offering benefits that they really want. When you use your HSBC Platinum Visa for your everyday spending, you can easily and instantly collect rewards that you actually use,” said Annette Tirol, HSBC’s senior vice president and head of personal financial services, who met up with us in Hong Kong. “We’ve provided our customers with the freedom to choose from a wide range of benefits that they can actually use.”

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After our briefing at the HSBC building at Hong Kong’s Central District and a photo opportunity with two vintage WWII lions on its driveway (legend has it that if you rub the lions’ head or paw, your wish for prosperity will be fulfilled), we went on a 10-minute walk to the IFC Mall for lunch at Cuisine Cuisine and some retail therapy. You could also check in at the IFC for your flight.

If you arrive at the airport early and you have access to any of Cathay Pacific’s lounges, it would have already been worth the trip. First of all, the airport has all the boutiques with all the name brands your heart desires  from Chanel to Hermes. It also has a big Zara store for last-minute shopping.

For more pampering after the retail therapy, head for any of the CX Lounges, the newest of which is The Cabin. First and Business Class passengers, Silver and above Marco Polo Club members, and Sapphire and above oneworld members have access to The Cabin.

The Cabin is the latest addition to the collection of Cathay Pacific Group lounges at Hong Kong International Airport, joining The Wing, The Pier, G16 and The Arrival. The Cabin  a 1,339-square-meter space designed by London-based architectural firm Foster + Partners  is conveniently located by Gate 23 on the central concourse. Contemporary, refreshing and dynamic, The Cabin is ultra-modern in design and introduces some brand-new seating and dining concepts.

The Cabin is an uplifting place intended to give passengers a pre-flight boost. It is a fast-paced lounge, from the up-close view of the energetic airport to the use of state-of-the-art technology. 

The Cabin is separated into five different zones: The Reception, The IT Zone, The Deli, The Health Bar and The Relaxing Zone. Cathay Pacific’s aim with The Cabin is to have guests leaving feeling refreshed and inspired.

High-speed WiFi Internet, 11 PCs, six iMacs and a video conference suite allow passengers to stay informed, in touch and entertained. For the first time guests can also use one of 20 WiFi-enabled iPads that have been pre-loaded with the latest applications including newspapers, magazines and games. 

The best part, especially if you’re taking a late flight and just want to sleep on board, is a self-service buffet where passengers can enjoy a variety of Asian and Western hot and cold dishes. To supplement this, Cathay Pacific has introduced its first delicatessen  The Deli  where passengers can enjoy made-to-order hot sandwiches, fresh antipasti and salads, not unlike those you see at the salad bars of five-star hotels.

At The Deli, fresh food will be served up on the newly designed “Cathay Pacific Signature Plate.” This custom-made porcelain plate has a subtle abstract bamboo pattern and has been produced exclusively for Cathay Pacific by Noritake of Japan.

Foremost among the range of seating in The Cabin is the innovative new Cathay Solus Chair  a purpose-built unit designed around the diverse needs of its lounge guests. To provide a place to eat, work and relax, Cathay Pacific and Foster + Partners jointly created a unique chair handcrafted by Poltrona Frau in Italy. After designing the concept, Cathay Pacific conducted multiple rounds of trials with Marco Polo Club members to refine the chair’s functionality and ergonomics.

Each Cathay Solus Chair has an individual power outlet, and all other non-dining seats are within arm’s reach of an outlet.

Refreshed after a day of meetings and some shopping, it was nice to retreat to the Cabin. It made the very long day seem almost short and sweet.