West Kowloon Cultural District Authority picks Cathay as its exclusive travel partner

Hong Kong flagship carrier Cathay Pacific has signed a three-year partnership with the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority (WKCDA) in which the airline will collaborate closely with the WKCDA as its exclusive travel partner.

The partnership aims to help solidify Hong Kong’s position as an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange and give a significant boost to Hong Kong’s cultural tourism.

Commencing in July this year, the three-year partnership with Cathay supports the WKCDA in various ways, including the provision of air travel services for transporting exhibits for exhibitions hosted by the Hong Kong Palace Museum (HKPM) and M+, and for inbound and outbound travel for overseas and local artists participating in the WKCDA’s performing arts programmes. 

Furthermore, the partnership provides support to enhance the content and quality of the WKCDA’s exhibitions and programmes, along with publicity enhancement to help promote WKCD as a must-see destination in Hong Kong to members of the public both locally and internationally.

While the launch of the partnership was marked by Cathay’s support for WKCDA's events such as "the Madame Song: Pioneering Art and Fashion in China Special Exhibition" that took place at M+ in July this year, Cathay said it will also support the upcoming events such as WestK Fun Fest in March and April 2024, and the ISH Dance Collection “Elements of Freestyle” in June 2024.

Michael Wong, deputy financial secretary of the Hong Kong government, said the deepening of collaboration between WKCDA and Cathay demonstrates how cultural and business sectors leverage the strength of each other to create positive synergy. He believed that the collaboration would attract global audiences to visit Hong Kong and discover its cultural vibrancy, and let the city’s arts and cultural sectors shine.

Ronald Lam, chief executive officer, the Cathay Group, said, “This partnership provides us with a valuable platform to showcase our dedication to enhancing the artistic and cultural fabric of Hong Kong. Together, we aim to create a lasting impact and contribute to the vibrant cultural landscape of our city.”

“As a premium travel lifestyle brand rooted in Hong Kong, Cathay wants to elevate that essence and move people forward in life by constantly providing fresh inspiration to our city. Through this partnership with the WKCDA, Cathay will help bring some of the world's most contemporary and thought-provoking art to Hong Kong. I believe this will not only inspire Hong Kong people and visitors, but also ignite the creativity of future artists in our city," he added.

Betty Fung, chief executive officer of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, said: “Over the next three years, we look forward to working closely with Cathay to showcase our quality exhibitions and events overseas, while bringing in top programmes, artists and performing groups to West Kowloon. In launching this exciting partnership, our goal is to reinforce Hong Kong’s position as an important hub for cultural exchange through local and international art.”

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Cathay Pacific for more information.

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