Hong Kong Tourism Board renews Malaysia comms mandate for two years

Malaysian PR and communications agency Ariff Communications has retained its communications mandate in Malaysia for the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), extending the partnership for another two years through to 2028.

Founded in 2017, Ariff Communications has since expanded into a multidisciplinary PR and social media marketing agency, serving clients across sectors including tourism, technology, automotive, finance, logistics, aviation, hospitality, F&B and consumer brands.

The renewal comes a year after Ariff Communications was first appointed by HKTB in 2025 to strengthen Hong Kong's visibility among Malaysian travellers.

Since then, the agency has supported the tourism board across media relations, influencer collaborations and market-led storytelling initiatives aimed at driving destination awareness and travel consideration among Malaysians.

Over the past year, campaigns developed by the agency have spanned a broad range of themes including Muslim-friendly travel, family holidays, youth lifestyle, photography, nightlife, value-led travel and seasonal destination moments such as Summer Viva and Halloween.

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According to the agency, these efforts contributed to a 6% year-on-year increase in visitor arrivals from Malaysia in 2025 compared to 2024.

Among the standout initiatives was "Jelajah Hong Kong" (Tour Hong Kong), which recently won a travel award. The campaign sought to connect with Muslim travellers through authentic storytelling and practical travel resources. The recognition came as Hong Kong also performed strongly in the Global Muslim Travel Index (GMTI) 2026, ranking first as the Muslim-friendly Accessible Travel Destination (Non-OIC), second as Muslim-friendly Destination of the Year (Non-OIC), and second as Muslim Women Friendly Travel Destination (Non-OIC).

Commenting on the renewed partnership, Aisya Hashim, director of Ariff Communications, said the account has been particularly meaningful because it demonstrates the role communications can play in shaping travel decisions. "Our work with the Hong Kong Tourism Board has been especially meaningful because it reflects what we believe good communications should do: make a destination feel relevant to them," said Aisya.

"The accolades received by the Hong Kong Tourism Board is also a testament to our work which we are proud of, but it is also part of a wider body of work across Malaysian Muslim travellers, families, Gen Z explorers, value-conscious travellers and lifestyle audiences," she added.

The renewed mandate also reflects Ariff Communications' continued focus on combining media relations, social storytelling and audience insights to help brands build relevance across different consumer segments.

Earlier this year, HKTB revealed it was in search of a public relations and social media agency for the Middle East, for a one-year contract running from April 2026 to April 2027. The appointed agency will be responsible for PR and social media services across the region, supporting HKTB’s objectives to drive visitor arrivals to Hong Kong.

The Board is also hunting for a public relations agency in the Philippines, covering a two-year period from 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2028.

A January report by MARKETING-INTERACTIVE revealed that HKTB is also on the hunt for a global creative agency to promote the city's unique offerings.

The chosen agency will be tasked at providing creative services that will shape HKTB's communications and highlight Hong Kong’s unique appeal on the global stage. The scope of services will include, but is not limited to, account management, strategic planning, and creative services to support HKTB's communication strategy and promote Hong Kong’s uniqueness.

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