HONG KONG — Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will not be having its yearly New Year’s Eve fireworks tradition, but will instead launch a massive lucky draw worth half a million USD, giving away iPhones, air tickets and hotel stays.
The US$513,000 (HK$4 million) carrot is open to locals and tourists alike, arranged after the city cancelled its annual fireworks display due to safety concerns.
Offered for the first time in Hong Kong, the New Year’s countdown lucky draw is expected to open in the coming days, and take place over two rounds on the event’s website.
The grand prize? Four sets of round-trip air tickets onboard Cathay Pacific for 10 lucky winners.
Participants can also walk away with iPhones, supermarket vouchers, luxury hotel stays, spa trips, tickets to Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park.
HKTB’s executive director, Dane Cheng Ting-yat said that the board only had two to three weeks turnover to come up with an alternative for New Year’s celebrations, after the abrupt decision to cancel the annual December 31st fireworks display for the first time since 2012.
“If it was a full-scale fireworks show, it’d usually attract hundreds of thousands of people. But there are other concerns such as traffic and manpower arrangements, which would be challenging,” Cheng said.
That’s not to say the city won’t be celebrating at all.
HKTB announced that there’ll be an enhanced version of Symphony of Lights – the city’s iconic daily light and sound show – at Victoria Harbour on New Year’s Eve, including smaller-scale rooftop fireworks on Hong Kong Island. A countdown programme will be shown on ViuTV, on HKTB’s website and other social media platforms.