The Quiet Reset of a City’s Brand
The last time I had seen the skyline was about five years ago. It was certainly familiar, yet something had changed there. Not in the view, but in the energy – go, measured, strategic, and deliberate.
What I had to investigate were conversations with various hoteliers, venue managers, and the Hong Kong Tourism Board: The Incentive Playbook 2.0. Yes, it is a digital tool; however, it is more of a roadmap of Hong Kong’s repositioning in business tourism.
The original Playbook came into being in April 2024, with travel steadily recovering and incentive tourism on the rise. This new version, far from soft on intent, has been sharpened with learnings from the recent past and shifting corporate priorities.
A Tool That Answers Practical Questions
The Playbook 2.0 is designed for real-world use. It offers execution-ready itineraries, direct supplier contacts, curated team-building programmes, and updated venue directories.
It reflects current trends in corporate travel—wellness, sustainability, purpose, and local immersion—by including activities like Tai Chi, forest bathing, and guided village visits. CSR activities are not an afterthought anymore; instead, they have now been woven into the very fabric of the experience.
Navigation is streamlined and mobile responsive, smoothing the plan for professionals who are working across time zones or onsite.
What the Numbers Are Saying
In 2019, MICE travel was one of Hong Kong’s strongest tourism segments. While specific figures such as “2.8 million overnight MICE visitors” and “HKD 7.6 billion in total expenditure” are widely cited, they are not independently confirmed in public sources. What is clear is the sector’s high economic value.
MICE travels went down between the years 2020 and 2022. In the year 2023, there was a rebound in the sector to 70% of the pre-pandemic levels, hence being the fastest-recovering tourist segment. The Playbook 2.0, released late in 2025, aims to support acceleration of this recovery into 2026.
According to Travel Daily Media, this relaunch seeks to attract global incentive traffic, its promotion reinforcing the notion of Hong Kong as a preferred business destination.
Not Just for Corporate Planners
While designed for business events, the playbook’s influence is spreading beyond the MICE sector. Many curated experiences are being adapted for leisure visitors—often through boutique travel providers or concierge services.
This crossover reflects a wider phenomenon: travellers seek more purpose-filled experiences – whether they are in town for business or pleasure. The playbook format makes these options more approachable.
Local Insights with Global Relevance
Many destinations are trying to reposition themselves post-pandemic. Hong Kong is doing so with operational clarity.
The playbook’s modular layout, neutral tone, and multilingual design make it globally usable. Tourism boards across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America could study this model to better align with international market needs.
It works not because it dazzles but because it solves real problems for planners.
The Infrastructure Behind the Experience
Beyond the activities and experiences, Hong Kong has upgraded the logistics around planning. The Playbook connects users to certified local suppliers and helps them assess event locations by theme, group size, and logistics.
Transit integration is addressed, with easy links to the Airport Express and MTR. While specific compliance documentation tools are not publicly confirmed, the playbook’s structure supports smoother approvals through clear vendor listings and itinerary templates.
What can we expect in the future?
For anyone in the travel or brand experience industries, this development prompts reflection:
Are you using tools that mirror how people want to travel today? Are your destinations investing in the right infrastructure, not just imagery? Is your planning process too internal when external tools already exist?
The Playbook 2.0 doesn’t solve every challenge. But it engages with them, and for now—that’s enough to take a closer look.