Li Feng (right), co-chairman of the organizing committee and chairman of China Mobile Hong Kong, and Pang Yiu-kai, chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, host the online kick-off ceremony of the third CMHK Hiking Festival on Dec 20, 2020. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
China Mobile Hong Kong launched its third Hiking Festival in Hong Kong on Dec 20 with the theme “5G By Your Side” amid the fourth-wave COVID-19 in the city to encourage the public to walk for health and fight the virus.
The event, co-organized by CMHK and Hong Kong Hiking Association, China, incorporates 5G technology to promote green tourism in the long run.
... the Third CMHK Hong Kong Hiking Festival has strengthened the integration of online-offline deployment and interaction to encourage people to continue the development of good hiking habits during the pandemic, whilst taking advantage of available technologies which, we hope, will make life more pleasurable under these trying circumstances.
Li Feng, Co-chairman of the organizing committee and chairman of China Mobile Hong Kong
The opening ceremony was held online for the first time due to the pandemic. It was simulcast on UTV and MyLink apps, utilizing CMHK’s industry-leading 5G technology. CMHK was among the first to roll out 5G mobile services in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on April 1.
Addressing the ceremony, Li Feng, co-chairman of the organizing committee and chairman of CMHK, said 2020 has been a challenging year with the pandemic having a broad impact across all industries and implications for the global economy.
“Members of the public have had to get accustomed to living with the virus with a degree of trepidation and pandemic fatigue. The pandemic has changed our lifestyles and accelerated the move from offline to online, and from outbound travel to domestic travel and local activities,” he said.
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“Therefore, the Third CMHK Hong Kong Hiking Festival has strengthened the integration of online-offline deployment and interaction to encourage people to continue the development of good hiking habits during the pandemic, whilst taking advantage of available technologies which, we hope, will make life more pleasurable under these trying circumstances,” he said.
Li also said that Hong Kong has a unique advantage in terms of its abundance of natural resources, and hiking trails, in particular, are relatively accessible from bustling urban areas.
The checkpoints for the hiking routes in January include The Peak Lookout, Camellia Garden at High West, Pok Fu Lam Reservoir and the Chi Fu Fa Yuen exit. (PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
During the pandemic, people can explore scenic hiking trails in groups of two as effective exercises and stress relief, helping to maintain physical and mental wellness as everyone plays his or her part in fighting the virus, he said.
With considerations duly paid to conditions of safety and observance of all pandemic prevention measures, he encouraged everyone to continue to “walk for health”.
Amid the pandemic, Hong Kong’s tourism industry is facing a severe predicament. In the first half of this year, the number of international visitors to Hong Kong had dropped by nearly 90 percent, and the number of mainland visitors had fallen by more than 90 percent, Li noted.
“Since Hong Kong has such a unique advantage in terms of its offering of natural resources, we hope to transform the 24 country parks and hiking trails in Hong Kong into the ‘Name Card of Hong Kong’ by virtue of the festival, hence promoting the city’s status to all parts of the world. By creating a new tourist hotspot in Hong Kong, it’s possible to attract tourists for hiking activities after the pandemic, with the revitalization of the Hong Kong tourism industry as an ultimate goal,” he said.
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Also speaking at the ceremony, Pang Yiu-kai, chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, pointed out that Hong Kong’s abundant and diverse natural resources contribute to the high popularity of “green destination” tourist attractions. The HKTB has been promoting green tourism energetically in recent years, he said.
The HKTB recently launched a series of 360-degree virtual reality videos with the theme “Great Outdoors Hong Kong”, leading global audiences to explore the landscape of Hong Kong through videos and the internet and promoting the city’s unique proposition as an outdoor leisure attraction.
The Third CMHK Hong Kong Hiking Festival will feature a “5G By Your Side – WeWalk for Rewards” event from Jan 1 to March 31. It is aimed at encouraging members of the public to choose suitable hiking routes as they enjoy the varied scenery of Hong Kong, as well as maintaining the best possible physical and mental health while exploring outdoors.
CMHK is integrating 5G Mixed Reality technology into the hikes for the first time, bringing a brand-new and fun hiking experience to the public.
(PHOTO PROVIDED TO CHINA DAILY)
It offers prizes such as the latest iPhone 12 series or Samsung Galaxy Note 20 5G to participants who complete both 5G Rewards missions the soonest, including completion of the designated hiking route, and check-in at designated WeWalk Spots, plus accumulating 200,000 total steps.
The checkpoints for the hiking routes in January include The Peak Lookout, Camellia Garden at High West, Pok Fu Lam Reservoir and the Chi Fu Fa Yuen exit.
Prizes also include CMHK Hong Kong Hiking Festival limited-edition first-day hiking covers and 5,000 MyLink Points. MyLink members can earn 10,000 MyLink Points.
Distinguished guests were invited to the opening ceremony, including Regina Leung Tong Ching-yee; Jeny Yeung, commercial director of MTR Corp; Ko Wing-man, co-chairman of the organizing committee; Stanley Ma, co-chairman of the organizing committee and chairman of Hong Kong Hiking Association; Zhang Xialing, vice-chairman and president of the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association; Pearl Lee, chief commissioner of the Hong Kong Girl Guides Association, the supporting organization; Colonel Matthew Wong, commandant of Hong Kong Adventure Corps; and Sean Lee, director and CEO of CMHK.
