It’s no secret that Hong Kong is often the first international travel destination of most Filipinos. You don’t need a visa and it’s only two hours away—and what’s not to love about it? There are theme parks to enjoy, a bounty of Chinese and fusion restaurant concepts to feast in, and besides, a new attraction opens every season.
Adding to the long list of the country’s must-see places is Madame Tussauds. The Asian flagship of this world-renowned wax museum is probably already in your itineraries, but here’s an extra treat for traveling Filipinos: A Pia Wurtzbach figure will be added to its halls this April. Yes, our very own Miss Universe has a life-sized and amazingly life-like statue standing among the most iconic personalities.
“Someone once asked us: Why can’t I see a Filipino figure? It’s something we’ve wanted for a long time,” Jenny You shared. “We’re neighbors and we want to give Filipinos something to celebrate, and really utilize this global platform to show Philippine talent and pride,” she continued.
The Madame Tussauds Hong Kong general manager also revealed they wanted someone with great character and impact—someone already iconic enough to be made immortalized in the museum. Across all the fields, including sports, politics, and showbiz, they looked to the 2015 Miss Universe as an icon loved all over the world, and revered by many of her countrymen.
Only this weekend, Filipinos can see the wax figure first-hand during the Travel Festival starting tomorrow. It will be from Mar. 29 to 31 at the SM Mega Fashion Hall. This is the only chance for Pia’s fans to see the statue locally, before it is moved to its permanent home in Hong Kong: Madame Tussaud’s fashion zone, where Pia would be right next to supermodel Kendall Jenner!
Three of the biggest travel brands came together to make the Travel Festival possible: Madame Tussauds, online booking platform Klook, and global airline Cathay Pacific. The travel fair has exclusive deals to make your next Hong Kong travel experience unforgettable, all with the comfort and enjoyment of Filipinos in mind. When you purchase a Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, you’ll be getting a free Madame Tussauds pass that’s redeemable through the Klook app—and you’ll only be able to avail of this deal this weekend!
“Traditionally, for many people, a lot of their first travels are with Cathay Pacific. That creates a really strong emotional bond, and we have a responsibility to live up to the expectations of Filipinos, customers who have long been traveling with us,” Cathay Pacific country manager Rob Bradshaw told alike, explaining the core that built this partnership.
“We provide a bridge to this city, and we’re always interested in trying to promote Hong Kong. We fly to different places, but Hong Kong is our home. It’s so close that we fly in seven times a day from Manila, we also fly out from Cebu, Clark, and Davao,” he said.
“There’s Madame Tussauds and Disneyland, there’s great food and lots of shopping. There’s lots of fantastic things going for it, and now it’s got Pia Wurtzbach,” Bradshaw added.
—alike.com.ph
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