Asian Food Channel partners with Hong Kong Tourism Board to promote Hong Kong Food & Wine Year

Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) partners with Asian Food Channel (AFC), the region’s only 24-hour food channel, to serve up superb Hong Kong taste and flavours in promotion of the Hong Kong Food & Wine Year throughout Asia.

The partnership involves an online, on-the-ground, and on screen campaign across Singapore, Philippines, and Malaysia, between August to October 2009. AFC and HKTB will be hosting a variety of Hong Kong celebrities and AFC faces, who will demonstrate the diversity of Hong Kong cuisine, reveal their favourite eating haunts, and explain more about the breadth of food and wine in the Asian capital.

These exclusive events will be captured online and on screen by AFC, ensuring that the Channel’s position as an authority on food and their broad base of followers is maximised.

Hong Kong has long been famous for its culinary strength and recently become the second Asian city to be awarded its very own Michelin Guide. Leveraging on the Hong Kong SAR Government’s exemption of wine duty, which enables visitors to enjoy a wide selection of wine at highly attractive prices, the HKTB launched a brand new marketing platform “Hong Kong Food and Wine Year” to show the world the diverse culinary experience of Hong Kong, reinforcing the city’s image as one of the world’s culinary capitals. Throughout the Hong Kong Food and Wine Year, the HKTB will inject elements of food and wine into its promotion.

Bringing the excitement of “Hong Kong Food and Wine Year” promotions to new heights would be a 10-day “Hong Kong Food and Wine Year Spotlight Events” from 30 October to 8 November 2009. The events comprise four key elements: the first-ever large-scale outdoor wine and dine event in Hong Kong, street carnivals organized by major food districts, a sparkling array of activities put together by the catering and tourism sectors, and a series of dining and drinking offers. Hong Kong’s first-ever large-scale outdoor fine wine and gourmet event, “Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival”, which runs will inject elements of food and wine into its promotion.

From 30 October to 1 November 2009 at the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade where visitors can indulge themselves in the perfect pairing of wine and food, attend wine appreciation classes conducted by professionals sommeliers, sample many of the local food delicacies, as well as enchanting music, against the beautiful backdrop of Victoria Harbour. To celebrate this Festival and actively engage viewers, HKTB and AFC will be offering two lucky viewers the chance to win an exclusive trip to Hong Kong to experience the festival first hand.

AFC has had tremendous success over the past few years, building a strong Channel that is now represented in seven markets throughout Asia. As well as showcasing a variety of programmes from top celebrity chefs such as Jamie Oliver, Nigella Lawson, Marco Pierre White, Martin Yan, Daniel Boulud and more, the Channel has recently launched their original production documentaries. AFC has grown into a powerful brand, one that fully understands and nurtures food talent and one that is seen by many blue chip companies as a valued partnership opportunity.

“We are delighted to be collaborating with Hong Kong Tourism Board for this fantastic project. It is a great opportunity for them to leverage on the extensive reach the Asian Food Channel has established – currently 20 million viewers throughout Asia – to raise the profile and spread the word about Hong Kong Food & Wine Year,” commented Maria Brown, Co-Founder and Managing Director of AFC.

Ms. Brown continued: “With the ever popular Dim Sum restaurants in Singapore, we’re pleased to be able to share more information about the gastronomic delicacies from around the region bringing our viewers closer to the international culinary talent and helping to further inspire, educate and delight everyone passionate about food.”

Mr. David Leung, Regional Director, South & Southeast Asia, of HKTB commented: “We see our partnership with the Asian Food Channel as an excellent platform to present Hong Kong’s delectable gastronomic experience to everyone throughout the region that Hong Kong is a Hong Kong’s strength as a “Gourmet Paradise” not just for quality food, but also excellent wines from different origins. We want to reveal the culinary delights and celebrate the love for Hong Kong food that is felt throughout the region.”

Says Mr. Law Kin Wai, Acting Director of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in Singapore, “Hong Kong is well known for our culinary creations and fine dining. We are also the first free wine port among major economies with unparalleled connectivity in Asia. The year 2009 is the Hong Kong Food and Wine Year. I hope that tourists will come to Hong Kong to enjoy our exquisite gastronomic delights and fine wine and to experience the atmosphere themselves."