Unusual/ This country offers 500,000 free airline tickets to lure tourists, this is an ideal opportunity for those who love to travel

Before the pandemic, Hong Kong attracted about 56 million visitors a year ago as it is now taking steps to win back tourists after more than two years of tough travel restrictions.

Just days after lifting its mandatory hotel quarantine requirement, Hong Kong has confirmed plans to give away half a million airline tickets in a bid to boost tourism.

The decision was confirmed to CNN by a spokesman for the Hong Kong Airport Authority, who said the 500,000 tickets, worth about $254.8 million, would go to visitors around the world.

"Tickets will be given to visitors from around the world and Hong Kong residents as part of the market recovery campaign, as this also helps businesses," the spokesman said, adding that details would be released in the coming days.

Hong Kong had been cut off from the rest of the world because of its Covid-19 quarantine rules, which required incoming travelers to spend 21 days in a hotel room at their own expense. The quarantine period was reduced from seven to three days when it was officially lifted on September 26, prompting many residents to access airline websites to book flights.