More than 10,000 shops, restaurants and attractions in Hong Kong are offering enticing promotions in a new campaign to get tourists and locals spending again.
Shoppers are always happy to see signs like this.
"Buy one, get one free" deals—and other huge discounts.
A month-long city-wide campaign launched this week, with special offers from about 14,500 retail outlets, restaurants, malls, hotels and attractions.
This traditional Chinese medicine and health care store, in business for more than one hundred years, is now pricing a can of Australian Abalone at just one Hong Kong dollar.
"I believe both Hong Kong and mainland customers will like this discount campaign, as we are really giving a good deal, and hoping to attract more customers," Andrew Chong, director of Wai Yuen Tong Medicine Co. Ltd., said.
Dozens of customers began lining up for the deals hours before the store opened. The discounts include 'buy one get one free' offers, half-price deals and 40 percent price reductions.
Local high-end market chain "City Super" also joined the campaign. From chocolate to seafood, a lot is on sale.
"Our City Supermarket joined the recent 'happy shopping discount campaign', and we are hoping to attract more customers to buy or, at least, come have a look," Claudia Cheng, assistant supervisor of City Supermarket, said.
Hong Kong could use a jolt in sales. For the first two months of 2015, total retail sales decreased by 2 percent in value compared with the same period in 2014.
And the number of mainland visitors was down 10 percent last month from a year earlier, according to the Immigration Department.
Mainland visits are expected to continue to fall during the coming Labor Day holiday.
"This year we anticipate there will be a slight drop, hopefully the drop will be around 10%," Joseph Tung, executive director of Travel Industry Council Of Hong Kong, said.
Mr. Tung said recent protests against traders from across the border is one of the reasons mainland tourists are staying away.
"HK is not mainland people's first choice already, as SOME people protest against them. I want to say HK still welcome mainland tourists," Tung said.
For those who choose to come to Hong Kong during the current promotional campaign—a lucky few could win big – getting free meals or merchandise as special prizes from restaurants and shops willing to pay out—to lure back their customers.
