The "HELLO PANDAS" outdoor carnival will be held in December, expected to attract 1 million attendees

The "HELLO PANDAS" outdoor carnival will be held from December 11 to 21 at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Plaza and the nearby waterfront. The event is organized by the China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited in conjunction with the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Chinese Enterprises Association. Chen Ruidong, Managing Director of China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited, introduced today (25th) that the carnival is free to the public and is expected to attract 1 million visitors. Additionally, 18 districts will set up check-in points featuring popular panda IPs ranging from 2.5 to 3 meters tall, which is expected to reach nearly 10 million people.

Guests at the main stage take photos with the giant panda.

Chen Ruidong stated that the event will have six major themes, including science popularization, art, public welfare, forums, markets, and amusement parks. A 10m x 10m giant panda will be set up along the Tsim Sha Tsui Cultural Centre waterfront, which is expected to become a new hotspot for citizens and tourists to play and take photos. There will also be a lively panda market with stalls featuring Christmas-themed decorations, various giant panda art installations, unique snacks and activities, and cultural creative stalls offering numerous popular panda "Hua Hua" and "Xiang Xiang" IP creative products for purchase. The third theme is art, where the carnival's art exhibition area will collaborate with multiple artists to present a rich array of contemporary cultural and artistic exhibitions, including panda graffiti and interstellar pandas. Notably, the most famous giant panda photographer from the mainland, Zhou Mengqi, will bring 40 photos of popular pandas for display.

Chen Ruidong, Managing Director of China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited, speaks.

During the carnival, experts on giant pandas from the mainland and Ocean Park keepers will be invited to share stories about giant panda breeding and their lives, bringing interesting trivia to engage with the audience. At the same time, there will be public welfare and science popularization forum themes. The carnival will invite an expert group from the Chengdu Research Base of Giant Panda Breeding to come to Hong Kong to participate in activities, reaching out to 3 to 5 communities in Hong Kong to conduct giant panda science popularization activities through seminars and forums with local citizens and students. The proceeds from the event, after deducting costs, will be donated to relevant giant panda conservation organizations

Chen Ruidong (center), Managing Director of China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited, accepts media interviews.

Chen Ruidong continued to state that there are currently organizations ready to donate HKD 200,000 to the Ocean Park Giant Panda Breeding Center as a conservation fund, hoping to conduct fundraising for the public during the second and third phases of activities. The second and third phases are expected to launch during the May Day holiday and Christmas next year, and the content will definitely be larger, more fun, and richer. As for the source of the panda IP, it is exclusively authorized by the Sichuan Giant Panda Protection Center and the Chengdu Giant Panda Breeding Base, with an investment of at least tens of millions.

Kowloon West Legislative Council member Zheng Yongshun accepts media interviews.

Kowloon West Legislative Council member Zheng Yongshun expressed that he is very pleased to cooperate with the China Travel Service on this project. The six pandas in Hong Kong are unique to the city, living here with their own personalities. Many tourists from different places will come during Christmas, and not every tourist from around the world has the opportunity to see pandas in the mainland. He hopes that Hong Kong can be the first stop for them to have the chance to see pandas, and he expects that after tourists see the pandas in Tsim Sha Tsui, they will consider visiting Ocean Park, hoping to boost the economy.

Chen Yong (left), Vice Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, accepts media interviews.

Chen Yong, Vice Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, stated that he is very excited now because the China Travel Service is bringing the panda IP to Hong Kong for the first time, not only featuring Hong Kong's "An An" and "Koko," but also including Sichuan's top pandas "Fu Bao" and "Hua Hua." This is the first time such a large, complete, and three-dimensional display is presented in Hong Kong, showcased along both sides of Victoria Harbour, making everyone very happy. What everyone is about to see is just the beginning; if everyone continues to support, it will only grow larger, richer, and better, integrating into and deepening into all 18 districts of Hong Kong, while also attracting panda fans from all over the world I believe they are all very willing to care about and follow the pandas to become cat fans, and hope to come to Hong Kong to get close to them.

The Assistant Commissioner for Tourism, Hsiung Pui Ling, spoke.

The Assistant Commissioner for Tourism, Hsiung Pui Ling, stated that the "HELLO PANDAS Panda Arrival" outdoor carnival program, lasting about two weeks, is very rich and diverse. She eagerly anticipates the carnival's holding, and the government will continue to seize the opportunities brought by the giant pandas, collaborating with all sectors of society to organize more giant panda promotional activities to create business opportunities and boost the economy. The government also sincerely wishes for the carnival to be successfully held.

Vice Chairman of the Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong, Chan Wing, (left), Managing Director of Hong Kong China Travel Service Limited, Chan Sui Tung (right second), Kowloon West Legislative Council member, Cheng Wing Shun (right first), and the giant panda take a photo together