Hong Kong is offering free flights to tourists across the globe, following years of COVID restrictions

• Hong Kong will offer 500,000 flights to tourists all over the world, the city announced Thursday.
• The $2 billion program aims to boost tourism as COVI restrictions are lifted, according to TImeOut.

Half a million flights to Hong Kong are up for grabs, as the city offers free travel to lure tourists and investors back after years of strict COVID regulations.

The program announced Thursday by Hong Kong leader John Lee aims to show the city is open for tourism and ready for business, Reuters reported.

"Hong Kong is now connected to mainland China and the whole international world, and there will be no isolation, no quarantine and no restrictions on ... enjoying the hustle and bustle of Asia's world city," he said, according to Reuters.

The $2 billion program includes doling out airline tickets to travelers across the globe, focusing on tourism in southeast Asian countries, followed by mainland China and northeast Asian countries, TimeOut reported. A portion of the tickets are earmarked for tourists from the US and Europe.

The tickets will be distributed by Hong Kong Express, Cathay Pacific, and Hong Kong Airlines starting March 1, according to TimeOut. In addition, the city's tourism board will give away one million food, entertainment, and travel vouchers.

Hong Kong followed China's zero-COVID policy through most of the pandemic, before loosening rules last year, Reuters reported. By December, most of the restrictions had been lifted, according to Reuters.

As part of the announcement Thursday, Lee said Hong Kong will begin to host sporting and other cultural events, while highlighting its culture, Reuters reported.

"We have to let outsiders know that Hong Kong has a unique status, especially when the 'one country, two systems' principles will be implemented in Hong Kong for a long time," he said.