Airline websites swamped as Hong Kong ticket giveaway takes off

Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines were the first companies to launch the government-backed "Hello, Hong Kong" ticket giveaway, which will roll out over several months. - Bloomberg

HONG KONG (AFP): People hoping to take advantage of a Hong Kong scheme to give away half a million free airline tickets faced hours-long online queues on Wednesday (March 1), as the Asian financial hub bids to woo tourists back.

The city last month launched a campaign to reboot its reputation as "Asia's world city", after years of strict pandemic-related travel restrictions and a crackdown on sometimes violent pro-democracy protests.