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Meet the new Hong Kong Pals team: dedicated volunteers ready to enhance visitor experiences, showcasing Hong Kong’s charm with passion and professionalism.
The frontline visitor service team of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) consists of professional visitor service specialists supported by volunteers known as “Hong Kong Pals.” In 2023/24, the team assisted over two million visitors and addressed more than 2.3 million inquiries. The HKTB has successfully completed a new recruitment round for “Hong Kong Pals,” forming its largest volunteer team to date.
Record Number of Volunteer Applications
This year’s recruitment campaign attracted an unprecedented 440 applications. Following a rigorous selection process, 48 new volunteers were chosen, expanding the “Hong Kong Pals” team to over 100 members, including existing volunteers. This record number of applications reflects the growing enthusiasm among Hong Kong residents to share their love for the city with visitors worldwide. The response was bolstered by HKTB’s outreach to tertiary education institutions and universities to promote the volunteer program and encourage youth participation.
Comprehensive Training from Hospitality Experts
The new “Hong Kong Pals” recruits come from diverse backgrounds, including university students, recent graduates, lawyers, engineers, teachers, lecturers, civil servants, and various other professions. From August to October, HKTB will provide these volunteers with training in communication, itinerary planning, and photography. Additionally, they will participate in workshops and guided tours to ensure they are well-prepared to serve visitors with confidence and hospitality.
HKTB General Manager for Corporate Affairs Ms Alice Li said, “The ‘Hong Kong Pals’ volunteer programme gathers enthusiastic locals from all walks of life. With their knowledge and skills acquired from different areas, the volunteers can work on the frontline with HKTB’s multi-award-winning visitor service team to offer timely, customised travel advice from a local’s point of view, showcasing Hong Kong’s unique spirit of hospitality.”
New Hong Kong Pals Team to Begin in November
Melody, a hotel management graduate now working for a non-profit organization, sees volunteering as a chance to realize her self-worth and grow personally. She anticipates that this experience will enrich her life and enhance her passion and professionalism in Hong Kong’s tourism industry.
Kenny, a management professional in a financial and information technology company, returned to Hong Kong from the United States and re-applied for the “Hong Kong Pals” program after five years. Selected as a member, he hopes to deepen his knowledge of Hong Kong through the program and looks forward to the professional training provided by HKTB, aiming to utilize these skills in welcoming tourists.
Leonard, fluent in Korean and working in finance, joined the “Hong Kong Pals” team to showcase the authentic side of Hong Kong and create memorable experiences for visitors.
Building the Strongest Frontline Team with HKTB Specialists to Serve with Hospitality
Launched in 2009, the “Hong Kong Pals” volunteer program has recruited over 100 volunteers from diverse backgrounds, including students, management professionals, teachers, medics, civil servants, and more. Since its inception, the “Hong Kong Pals” team members have dedicated over 70,000 hours of voluntary service, assisting more than 100,000 visitors.
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