Hong Kong Tourism Board Names Perceptions Inc. and Ogilvy anew as PR Agency in the Philippines and Malaysia

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) Southeast Asia Office announced today the reappointment of Perceptions, Inc. and Ogilvy as its PR agency in the Philippines and Malaysia, respectively, for the next two years.

The two agencies have been collaborating with HKTB for several years now, keeping the city as one of the top-of-mind destinations among its target market.

“At the height of the pandemic, their PR expertise shone all the more brightly, helping us cut through the clutter and maintain global visibility,” said Raymond Chan, Regional Director of Southeast Asia at HKTB.

Furthermore, he cited the agencies’ “strong strategic thinking, proven history of positive media relations, and agility in executing plans” as reasons for the renewed partnership.

In the last three years, Hong Kong has seen a slew of new tourism developments, including the establishment of the West Kowloon Cultural District which showcases M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum, among others.

“We are delighted to see an influx of Filipino and Malaysian tourists back to Hong Kong. With the support of our PR partners, I am confident that they will have a one-of-a-kind travel experience that Asia’s World City has to offer,” Chan added.

With the successful launch of “Hello Hong Kong” and the free ticket giveaway campaign, HK makes a comeback as a major destination in Southeast Asia, even bagging the Gold award for Best Regional PR in SEA and acquiring Bronze for Best PR-led Integrated Communications and Best Use of Social Media in the recently concluded PR Asia 2023 Awards; all this with the support of Perceptions and Ogilvy.

Suffice to say, Hong Kong’s tourism has seen steady growth and anticipates bringing the number of arrivals to a new height later this year.

Perceptions, who is renewing its contract with HKTB for the third time, will continue to provide support in effectively bringing Hong Kong closer to the public consciousness in the Philippines, as well as building good relationships with media outlets that will eventually lead to a wider reach for the stories Hong Kong has to tell.

“It is an incredible honour to be navigating HK’s recovery plans and shaping the next chapter for HKTB’s successful Hello Hong Kong campaign,” said Noel Rene Nieva, President and CEO of Perceptions.

“With the trend of ‘revenge travel’ making its rounds, Perceptions is as determined as HKTB to make every experience in Hong Kong memorable, worthwhile, and beyond any other travel experience Filipinos have ever had or will have,” he added.

Riding onto the momentum of the successful launch of “Hello Hong Kong”, Ogilvy, on the other hand, will place its immediate focus on supporting HKTB with showcasing the city’s readiness and excitement to welcome Malaysians back to one of their favorite neighboring destinations.

“Ogilvy is deeply honoured to once again be entrusted by HKTB to continue making Hong Kong matter to Malaysians, especially at this critical juncture in the city’s reopening.

Kicking off our partnership with HKTB at the start of the pandemic, we really had our work cut out for us. We are thrilled that we have the next two years to fully unleash the many plans that were put on hold.

We are led by a singular focus – to bolster Hong Kong’s recovery as a choice destination for all Malaysians and this includes improving awareness of Hong Kong as a Muslim-friendly destination, a key growth pillar for the city’s tourism sector,” said Sunita Kanapathy, Head of Public Relations at Ogilvy Malaysia.