Beyond refunds: How HK hot air balloon festival organiser can reinflate trust

The organiser of the just-concluded hot air balloon festival in Hong Kong will offer full refunds to all ticket holders after backlash over suspended balloon rides and the cancellation of the final concert on Sunday.

According to its official website, Grand Events Asia said that despite its best efforts, it recognised it fell short of delivering the expected customer experience.

"We appreciate our title sponsor AIA Hong Kong for their strong concern for customer experience and for reinforcing the importance of our role, as the event organiser, in making proper arrangements for affected ticket holders. As such, we have decided to offer full refunds for all HABFest tickets to express our sincere apologies and gratitude."

Full refunds are available for tickets purchased through HK Ticketing, kkday, 01 Space, Damai, and Trip.com. Refunds will be based on the actual amount paid in Hong Kong dollars.

Refunds will begin processing after the submission deadline on 8 October. For applications with complete and accurate information, refunds will be completed within 30 days by 7 November via bank transfer, Faster Payment System (FPS), or other mutually agreed methods. Late submissions or applications with incomplete or inaccurate information will not be accepted.

Despite the announcement, reactions online have been mixed. Some questioned whether sponsor AIA should be responsible for issuing refunds, while others criticised the late response, a check by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE on Threads showed.

Entry tickets to the four-day festival, which began on 4 September, were priced at HK$220 for the "sunrise session" and HK$880 for the "sunset session". Balloon ride tickets cost HK$580.

Don't miss: HK hot air balloon festival organiser apologises for cancelling flying experiences

However, on the opening day, the organiser announced that the government had only granted a license for the hot air balloons to be used for display purposes. The organiser apologised regarding the matter but insisted no refunds could be made.

During Friday's sunset session, eight balloons were inflated, but only one took off, reportedly for just five minutes. No balloons flew during Saturday's sunset session, and on Sunday, all flights were cancelled due to the typhoon.

The Consumer Council had received 303 complaints regarding the festival as of 5pm on Monday, with claims totalling more than HK$302,212. The largest single case involved HK$10,000.

Industry reactions

This is not the first time Hong Kong has cancelled balloon rides. In 2012, Ocean Park Hong Kong scrapped its helium balloon ride SkyStar after an incident that injured six passengers.

David Ko, managing director of RFI Asia, said that even with refunds, the organiser’s reputation is damaged. "Events must go beyond familiar experiences. Hong Kong needs authentic, well-planned attractions to truly excite and increase visitor spend among both local and overseas visitors."

"Events must go beyond familiar experiences. Hong Kong needs authentic, well-planned attractions to truly excite and increase visitor spend among both local and overseas visitors," he added.

The organiser’s fundamental error was avoiding responsibility from the outset, offering token gestures instead of real solutions, and delaying refunds until public pressure left them no choice, said Brian Yeung, co-founder, Brandstorm Communications. "That sequence made them appear evasive and dismissive rather than accountable."

"As soon as it was clear the rides could not proceed, all promotional activity should have stopped and a clear message should have gone out that safety was the priority. That message needed to be delivered quickly and consistently across every channel so that customers received it before arriving at the venue," he added.

Alex Brazendale, head of Havas Play Hong Kong, said whether it’s free beer, ice creams for all, somersaulting clowns, or entry to the show next door; organisers need to react positively and generously to event audience.

"Because it’s in these moments that your years of experience come into play. That’s why it’s smart for brands to work with established producers. Seasoned professionals will have thought it through, planned for all eventualities, and know what to do if something ends up going wrong," he added.

Lesson to learn

To regain consumer trust, RFI Asia's Ko said real transparency is essential and attendees should be informed about any cancellations well in advance, not just upon arrival. "All possible channels such as social media should have been used. Avoiding bad publicity is not a reason to not inform. It just makes the organisers appear clumsy and amateurish," he added.

Agreeing with his thoughts was Brandstorm's Yeung, who said people deserve clear answers on what went wrong, why it happened, and who was accountable. "Speculation should be addressed directly with verified facts, including clarification on the role of Hann Kwok, who has also been linked to the no‑show by Messi at a football match in Hong Kong."

Refunds are only the starting point, he added. "Sponsors, vendors and partners also suffered financial and reputational damage, and they should receive fair compensation alongside direct engagement to rebuild relationships."

The organiser must then prove change through action, this means flawless delivery of refunds, stronger compliance oversight, stricter planning protocols and independent audits on this case, he said. "Only by combining humility, transparency and consistent flawless execution can long‑term credibility and trust be restored."

Brazendale said the perception is that it’s hard to get things permitted or approved in Hong Kong. "That might have been true in the past, but post pandemic, the government is doing everything it can to help creative producers to develop exciting content."

"But never forget there’s a process that needs to be respected. So, get yourself properly prepared, and build in sufficient time. Talk to the people in the government departments. Make sure they understand fully. Remember, new concepts need to be properly explained. So share lots of data and have plenty of conversations. Don’t hide behind forms and emails," he added.

Success and safety are all about preparation. Check, check, and check again. 

Photo courtesy: Threads accounts @misskasinli, @rairai_foodie

Take your brand to new heights with cutting-edge AI strategies, innovative technology, and data-powered experiences. Don’t miss Digital Marketing Asia 2025 in Hong Kong on 20-21 October, where 200+ marketing leaders will explore game-changing trends, proven successes, and bold ideas shaping the future.

Related articles:

Hong Kong to launch first-ever hot air balloon festival
Singapore Airlines creates stir with a 3D hot air balloon