HKTB “Hong Kong Pals” Volunteer Programme Connects the Community with Tourism and Promotes Hospitality Culture Registration Opens to Public to Recruit Passionate Individuals to be Good Hosts

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23 Apr 2024

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To enhance visitors’ experience in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is actively promoting in phase the hospitality culture targeting the trade, the community and the public, with a view to encouraging different sectors and the whole city to be good hosts. On the community level, the HKTB is expanding the “Hong Kong Pals” volunteer programme to recruit more individuals with a passion for tourism, especially young individuals, to become a host for our visitors and share with them the knowledge and advice on travelling in Hong Kong.

The new round of “Hong Kong Pals” volunteer programme is accepting registration from the public starting from tomorrow (24 April) to 31 May (see appendix). Successful registrants will receive all-round training to serve in HKTB’s visitor centres and HKTB’s mega events, sharing Hong Kong’s lifestyle and culture with visitors from around the world and offering a local perspective on authentic tourism experiences.

Mr Dane Cheng, HKTB Executive Director, said, “Stepping into its 15th anniversary, the Tourism Board’s ‘Hong Kong Pals’ volunteer programme carries a significant meaning. This year, we hope our Hong Kong Pals can demonstrate our hospitality culture and encourage the public to promote it together, hence enhancing the visitors’ experience in town. In the meantime, we are also actively recruiting students from various tertiary education institutions with a view to bringing in young, new talents to the programme and imbuing the team with youthful and vibrant energy. We hope the new and seasoned volunteers can work in tandem to pass on the idea and belief of the volunteer programme, and uphold Hong Kong’s reputation as a hospitable travel destination.”

Join us if you are a cheerful local with a passion for Hong Kong!

The public recruitment of the “Hong Kong Pals” volunteer programme is open from 24 April to 31 May. The Hong Kong Pals shall be friendly and hospitable, and well-versed in any one of tourism-related aspects, such as traditional local culture, shopping, food and drinks, green tourism, arts, cultural and entertainment. They shall speak fluent Cantonese, English and Mandarin, and ability in any other languages would be an advantage. Aspiring applicants are required to undergo a series of interviews and selection before becoming one of our Hong Kong Pals.

Connecting the programme with the community. Recruiting aspiring youth

為To imbue new youthful energy to the programme, HKTB hosted briefings in different universities and tertiary education institutes to introduce the Hong Kong Pals programme and the details to students of tourism and hospitality. HKTB is also inviting instructors from the universities and tertiary education institutes to nominate students with good potential to join the programme.

Bringing fun to visitors and benefitting the volunteers


From left to right (Three Hong Kong Pals Marco, Agnes and Gaby)

Three Hong Kong Pals – Marco, a finance professional, Agnes, a retired senior management of a multinational corporate, and Gaby, who joined Hong Kong Pals before she graduates from the university – shared their experiences. All of them agreed that being a Hong Kong Pal is not only helping visitors but also benefitting the volunteers themselves.

Marco, who relocated back to Hong Kong from Singapore, agreed that the programme allows him to learn more about Hong Kong again and explore the fun side of Hong Kong with visitors together. He now thinks of himself as a “Hong Kong guru”. On the other hand, Agnes enjoys her busy retirement life as the programme is packed with both challenges and fun. Yet she thinks helping visitors whenever she’s on duty is one way she recharges herself with positivity. “It’s like I’ve had a session of laughter yoga, filling me up with happiness and satisfaction,” said the veteran. Gaby revealed that she has long revelled in Hong Kong’s urban lifestyle; however, the Hong Kong Pal programme opens to her the scenic, natural side of this city to her, enabling her to experience Hong Kong’s in depth from another perspective.

All-round training to nurture hospitable frontline service providers

Selected registrants will become a Hong Kong Pal upon completion of an all-round training provided by HKTB. The training consists of a series of workshops in hospitality and storytelling and guided tours to get a first-hand experience of Hong Kong’s tourism products, attractions, and cultural and entertainment offerings. The HKTB also invites professional instructors in various aspects to provide the Hong Kong Pals with training in Hong Kong’s local culture to ensure that each and every Hong Kong Pal can be a good host on the forefront of Hong Kong’s tourism.

Appendix

About the programme

First launched in 2009, “Hong Kong Pals” is a volunteer programme organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and has recruited more than 100 local public from all walks of life, including students, corporate managers, teachers, medical practitioners, civil servants and many more. Over the past 14 years, they have contributed a total of 70,000 hours of volunteer service, and have offered assistance to hundreds of thousands of visitors.
The “Hong Kong Pals” Volunteer Programme (「旅遊義工」計劃 ) is organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). The volunteers, who are identified as “Hong Kong Pals”, upon completion of training will serve at HKTB’s visitor centres across the city and its mega events, introducing Hong Kong’s way of life and culture to visitors from around the world, and make local recommendations on travel tips and advice.

Key dates

Recruitment	24 April – 31 May 2024
Selection	•1 st round interview: 8-10 June 2024 • 2nd round interview: 22-23 June 2024 (Shortlisted volunteers will be further informed of the interview date)
Training	August – October 2024
Commencement of service	November 2024 – October 2025

Requirements

Hong Kong resident aged 18 or above
Cheerful and passionate about Hong Kong and willing to chat with visitors
Knowledgeable about one or more tourism-related aspects of Hong Kong, including local culture, history and heritage, shopping and dining, architecture and attractions, green tourism, arts and performance
Fluent in Cantonese, English and Mandarin. Knowledge of languages would be an advantage.
Committed to attending training and taking up the required shift duties

Training

From August to October 2024, the recruited volunteers will undergo a comprehensive training programme organised by the HKTB, which covers the following areas:

Hospitality and storytelling skills	Tourism products and attractions
Local culture	Green tourism and great outdoor
Hong Kong neighbourhoods	Arts and performance

Local specialists: A group of local specialists from various tourism-related fields will conduct training programmes to equip volunteers with knowledge and experience of Hong Kong sightseeing and local culture.
Training provided by the HKTB: The HKTB will provide “Hong Kong Pals” with an overview on the Hong Kong tourism industry, promotion works of the HKTB and techniques of serving visitors etc.
• Putting theories in practice: “Hong Kong Pals” will have the chance to join various special local tours arranged by the HKTB.

Other Information

Service Locations: “Hong Kong Pals” will provide service at the HKTB Visitor Centres located at the Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Concourse, Hong Kong International Airport, the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal, Ocean Terminal, West Kowloon Station and Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge. They will also assist in the HKTB mega events to handle visitors’ enquiries as well as offering the latest sightseeing recommendations.
Service Hours:Each “Hong Kong Pal” will need to work for no less than 10 sessions (30 hours) during the appointment period. Each duty session lasts for 3 hours, usually between 9am and 6pm from Monday to Sunday. The exact duty hours will be confirmed each month according to the roster.