Hong Kong Tramways and Visa encourage commuters to rediscover HK with new campaign

Hong Kong Tramways and Visa have partnered up to unveil a citywide campaign and offer consumer promotion on Hong Kong trams, aiming to encourage commuters and travellers to rediscover Hong Kong’s unique streetscape and local culture via tapping-to-pay with Visa.

This comes as a recent YouGov survey commissioned by Visa revealed that most Hong Kong respondents ranked the tram (30%) as the transportation mode that best represents Hong Kong’s cultural identity, followed by the MTR (25%) and Peak Tram (17%).

As such, the collaboration aims to underscore the importance of preserving the authenticity of trams while embracing innovation to keep it relevant, especially as Hong Kong strives to become a worldclass smart city. It also aims to underline the importance of payment options as a crucial aspect to enhance the overall travel experience for individuals.

From 6 July to 31 December this year, passengers who tap to pay for their tram fare with Visa contactless using credit, debit and prepaid card, or via mobile wallet provisioned with a Visa card, may enjoy a discount of HK$1 for every single ride priced at HK$3.

As part of the collaboration, a marketing campaign featuring Hong Kong’s home-grown Olympic fencer and Team Visa athlete Cheung Ka Long will roll out. According to Paulina Leong, general manager of Hong Kong and Macau of Visa, Long’s unyielding dedication towards his craft embodies the spirit and authenticity of Hong Kong, and reflects Visa’s underlying values of acceptance and inclusivity.

In terms of mediums of promotion, the campaign is promoted via out-of-home advertising such as tram bodies.

MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Visa for more information.

Commenting on the collaboration, Leong said the introduction of Visa payment acceptance on trams in Hong Kong will further accelerate the digital transformation of Hong Kong’s public transport through payment.

“Hong Kong trams, or most of us call it as ‘Ding Ding’, are cultural icons that hold a special place in the hearts of citizens and tourists alike[…]We’re thrilled to see that people can now pay for their tram ride just as they would for any other purchase made with Visa’s contactless solution anywhere around the world in a convenient and secure way. At Visa, we believe that an open-loop system with a universal payment solution offers an inclusive and rider-friendly experience for everyone, everywhere.”

Meanwhile, Paul Tirvaudey, managing director, Hong Kong Tramways said: “HK Tramways is always open and ready to accept all the latest payment technologies with the aim to embrace digital transformation while preserve trams as a unique icon and cultural heritage in Hong Kong.”

Through collaborating with Visa, the brand can further increase our exposure and accessibility to both local riders and international visitors, he added. “With Visa’s contactless solution, passengers can conveniently take a ride on tram and enjoy the scenery of Northern Hong Kong Island easily. We hope to bring a more decent and comfortable travel experience to them and contribute to Hong Kong’s Smart City Blueprint.”

Don't miss: Hong Kong Tramways introduces e-payment system on over 100 trams

Back in June, Hong Kong Tramways introduced a new electronic payment system on over 100 trams for public’s convenience in fare payment, supporting 12 electronic payment methods such as credit cards, mobile payment devices and QR codes.

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