From nature to culture, day or night, Hong Kong will surprise incentive groups at every turn

The Peak on Hong Kong Island, which looks out across the skyscraper-flanked harbour, is one of Hong Kong’s most iconic locations. It is home to scenic trails offering breathtaking views of the city, relaxing, green open spaces, and a fine range of restaurants serving international cuisines, making it an ideal area for team-building exercises.

To make the trip even more memorable, why not take the Peak Tram – one of the world’s oldest and most famous funicular railways, which rises to 396 metres above sea level – to see the stunning skyline right in front of you? The iconic tram has unveiled a multimillion enhancement with larger capacity and visitors experiential activities at the terminus. Two carriages can be chartered for up to 210 guests.

Team-building activities with a breath of fresh air

Although Hong Kong is known for its densely populated settlements, three quarters of its total 110 sq km area comprises unspoilt countryside, offering numerous outdoor experiences that stimulate the mind, body and soul.

Many of Hong Kong’s hilltop hiking trails provide groups with the chance to savour stunning views of the city below, with most of them located within one hour’s travel from the central business district. There are choices to suit people of all fitness levels.

From an easy walk through the lush greenery around Shing Mun Reservoir in eastern New Territories, or a walk along Eagle’s Nest Nature Trail, leading to the 1,200-step challenge from Violet Hill to the picturesque seaside town of Stanley on the southern coast of Hong Kong Island, there is something for everyone.

You can also take a hike beside the fish-filled, emerald waters of reservoirs, flanked by lush tree-covered mountains in tranquil Tai Tam Country Park, in the east of Hong Kong Island, and learn about its rich history while passing wartime relics and towering, century-old stone dams that are regarded as architectural marvels.

The city comprises more than 260 outlying islands, including those within the Hong Kong Unesco Global Geopark, in eastern and northeastern New Territories, which are known for their dramatic, internationally significant volcanic rock formations, and craggy headlands and bays. They can be viewed from a boat tour, while many can even be visited by kayakers. Some inhabited islands feature well-preserved or rejuvenated heritage sites that provide a glimpse into the territory’s rural past, including its once-thriving fishing and salt-mining industries.

The urban area of Hong Kong is also dotted with open spaces, including parks and waterfront promenades, that are ideal for group activities, such as a tai chi lesson and forest bathing.

Bonding through the appreciation of art and cultural experiences

Hong Kong has cemented its status as Asia’s arts and cultural hub with the opening of the West Kowloon Cultural District. This area is home to world-class arts institutions, including M+, the city’s global museum of visual culture, Hong Kong Palace Museum – housing more than 900 priceless treasures from Beijing’s Palace Museum – and the purpose-built Chinese opera venue, Xiqu Centre. But it has also evolved into a cosmopolitan dining hotspot and a prime location for hosting creative group events.

Hong Kong Museum of Art (HKMoA), beside Tsim Sha Tsui’s waterfront, which houses 18,800 works of art showcasing the development of art over centuries and many interactive zones, is also perfect for group outings. Nearby, K11 Musea features impressive art collections alongside a host of global retailers and restaurants, making it the perfect place for a group lunch after visiting HKMoA.

Craft-making workshops and art jams are great ways for groups to have fun together. Many of them can be found in small galleries and art studios located in revitalised historic buildings. They include the refurbished, 80-year-old Bauhaus-style Central Market; PMQ, the mixed-use arts, design and restaurant venue at Central’s former Police Married Quarters on Hollywood Road; and Tai Kwun, a complex consisting of the former Central Police Station, the Central Magistracy and Victoria Prison – three declared monuments with 170 years of history.

Across the harbour in Tsuen Wan, in the New Territories, The Mills – originally built in the 1960s as a textile factory – has been repurposed into a base for start-ups and independent businesses as well as innovative food and beverage concepts and meeting spaces.

Work hard, play hard in the city that never sleeps

Hong Kong is known for its hardworking and playful spirit, while after dark, music will start to pulsate in party precincts such as the world-renowned bar, club and restaurant areas of Lan Kwai Fong and SoHo, in Central, as well as the districts of Wan Chai and Tsim Sha Tsui. Groups will find international-award-winning nightlife venues providing something to suit every mood, from cosy bistros and speakeasy dens to rooftop bars and funky nightclubs.

Get to know the city through neighbourhood stories

Walking the streets of some of Hong Kong’s charming, historic areas, or exploring its memorable neighbourhoods is the perfect way to immerse yourself in the city’s culturally diverse mix of traditional and contemporary influences and record the experience with numerous Instagrammable moments.

Central is the part of the city where the old meets new, and it’s not unusual to see a historic Chinese teahouse or decades-old restaurant standing alongside the latest modern dining concept. If you need a workshop idea, you will find everything you need in the district, from sake pairing at PMQ to making your own dim sum at a popular restaurant.

Across the harbour, West Kowloon, which includes the bustling, historic precincts of Jordan and Yau Ma Tei – home to the world-famous, open-air Temple Street Night Market – has become a hub for international dining, including many Michelin-starred restaurants.

There is something for every incentive group

Hong Kong Tourism Board plans to unveil a range of themed incentive experiences, including more than 100 new ideas to entice and inspire groups of both short-haul and long-haul MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) visitors. They include:

1. An early morning hike for nature lovers, to reinvigorate their minds, bodies and souls at Shing Mun Reservoir, followed by a boat tour to Hong Kong Unesco Global Geopark, with lunch at Lai Chi Wo, a revitalised Hakka village where sustainable farming is practised.

2. Fun seekers can consider a mix of shopping and cultural and theme park thrills – starting with a boat cruise around Hong Kong’s traditional fishing communities, then a visit to Water World Ocean Park – Asia’s first all-weather seaside park – or Hong Kong Disneyland for some spectacular shows, and ending with some absorbing retail therapy in Old Town Central.

3. Culture buffs can experience visual cultural delights inside M+, where modern architecture meets history, followed by delicious Michelin-star Cantonese cuisine at Yat Tung Heen and memorable street snacks in Jordan.

4. Party animals can start with a mixology class at dusk and an exhilarating horse racing party at the stylish Happy Valley racecourse bar and lounge, Hong Kong Jockey Club Happy Wednesday, followed by bar hopping in Lan Kwai Fong.

5. City explorers can be inspired by a visit to historic Tai Kwun, followed by taking part in a dyeing workshop, and then finish with shopping at PMQ.