“Immersive Hong Kong” roving exhibition opens in Guangzhou (with photos)

     The "Immersive Hong Kong" roving exhibition opened in Guangzhou today (August 9). This is the fourth stop of the exhibition organised by the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government, following its successful stagings in three Association of Southeast Asian Nations countries, namely Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia.
 
     Organised by the Information Services Department and co-organised by the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Guangdong (GDETO), the Guangzhou exhibition is part of a promotional campaign of the HKSAR Government to showcase the city's new attractions, advantages and opportunities. Themed "Hong Kong – Where the World Looks Ahead", the exhibition invites visitors from the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) community to explore the unique potential for tourism, education, business and investment in Hong Kong.

     Through interactive art technology, the "Immersive Hong Kong" exhibition enables visitors to immerse themselves in different virtual scenes representing the city with a creative twist. The five thematic zones, namely "Financial Bridgehead", "I&T Brain Bank", "Blossoming Creativity", "Diversity and Greenery" and "Buzzing Sports Action", feature multiple interactive art projections, light box installations and naked-eye 3D displays, presenting the multifaceted appeal of Hong Kong.
 
     Visitors may also enjoy Hong Kong's vibrant and colourful skyline, illustrated by Hong Kong artist Messy Desk (Jane Lee), at a photo corner in the venue. Promotional videos on Hong Kong and digital panels with information and insights from Mainland companies about their experiences in Hong Kong are also on display, explaining why the city is one of the most desirable places for visiting, living, working and investing.

     Speaking at the opening ceremony today, the Director of Information Services, Mrs Apollonia Liu, said that on the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, it is particularly meaningful to hold the exhibition for the first time on the Mainland to introduce to Mainland visitors the latest developments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. With this year also marking the fifth anniversary of the promulgation of the Outline Development Plan for the GBA, Guangzhou is a perfect venue for the exhibition, as both Hong Kong and Guangzhou are core cities of the GBA.
 
     She said, "Sharing common historic roots and origins, Hong Kong and Guangdong have been working closely in promoting the development of the GBA, which has many opportunities to offer. We hope that through this exhibition, we can demonstrate, in a lively and interactive way, Hong Kong's distinctive advantages of enjoying strong support of the motherland and being closely connected to the world. We also hope everyone will come to Hong Kong for tourism, study, business or investment, and make use of Hong Kong's international platform to tap into overseas markets and develop their businesses."
 
     Mrs Liu expressed her hope that the exhibition would take visitors on a new immersive journey through various virtual scenes representing Hong Kong, which not only showcase Hong Kong's unique cosmopolitan attractions, advantages and opportunities, but also demonstrate that the city is full of creativity and character. Among the thematic zones, "Buzzing Sports Action" is a newly added element this year. While Hong Kong athletes have achieved remarkable results at the Paris Olympic Games, there will be the 15th National Games next year, with Hong Kong co-hosting the event alongside Guangdong and Macao. The setting up of a thematic zone on sports serves as pre-heat publicity for the upcoming National Games.
      
     The Director of the GDETO, Miss Linda So, stated, "In the five years since the promulgation of the Outline Development Plan for the GBA, the connectivity and integration between Hong Kong and the other cities of the GBA have covered various policy areas and reached an unprecedented high level. The GDETO will continue to serve as a bridge, promoting exchange and co-operation with the local governments, industry, and citizens in the GBA. We will also, through various activities, tell the Mainland communities good stories of Hong Kong and help them better understand the development opportunities and uniqueness of Hong Kong."

     To encourage more people to visit Hong Kong and attend various mega events in the city, an interactive game, "Snap a cool shot @Immersive Hong Kong", is also featured as part of the exhibition. A total of 50 winners will each receive a free set of an admission ticket and a tasting pass for the "Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival 2024" to be held in Hong Kong in October. The prizes are sponsored by the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

     The exhibition is being held at OneLink Walk, a major shopping centre in Guangzhou, until August 18. Admission is free, and visitors will be offered souvenirs during the event. More information on the exhibition is available on the dedicated page on the Brand Hong Kong website (www.brandhk.gov.hk/en/campaign/hkpromotion-gba).