Open Jaw :: On The Town ::

with B.A.
09MAR09

l-r: HKTB's Karisa Lui & M.K. Lam, JBC Travel

Our Hong Kong hosts toast the dinner's attendees

HKTB Celebrates The Year Of The Ox In YVR

According to traditional custom, Chinese New Year is a time to sit down for a meal with friends and family. In keeping with their long standing tradition, the Hong Kong Tourism Board invited 70 of their closest friends to share in a sumptuous repast at Vancouver's high-end Imperial Chinese Seafood Restaurant.

Jointly hosted by the HKTB and the Hong Kong Economic & Trade Office, guests were treated to a 10 course Chinese meal to usher in this "Year of the Ox".

During dinner, Michael Lim, Director-Canada, Central & South America for the Hong Kong Tourism Board provided an update and talked about events lined up for the year. Arrivals from Canada for 2008 fell by 4.1% to 395,167, the reason was blamed on the failing economy, reduced air capacity to HKG and high fuel surcharges. Tour operators were urged to intensify Hong Kong's appeal by introducing specialty itineraries to the ever more discerning segments of travellers.

To ensure we had all been paying attention, we were tested with a general knowledge quiz on Hong Kong with 10 travel bags given away as prizes. The final dinner course (the un-Chinese Mango pudding) was served after 9 p.m. after which guests sleepily made their way home.

For those of you born in the Chinese zodiac sign of the ox, it is said that this will be a socially active year, one in which you will bring good cheer to all. With some luck and the will to resist temptation, financial matters will improve during the second half of the year.