[Marathon Travel the World] Savor the Scenery Along the Way and Discover Surprises

The annual Standard Chartered Marathon is just around the corner—have you signed up yet? Beyond this flagship event, more and more Hong Kong people are also participating in overseas marathons in recent years. Globally, there are over a thousand marathon events each year, with popular destinations among Hongkongers such as Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan hosting around 40 major marathons annually. Would you be interested in experiencing running a marathon abroad?

Recently, online travel agency Expedia (Travelocity) held a press conference, inviting Hong Kong’s half-marathon record holder Mr. Gary Koi, millennial runner Nick who has run in Europe, the U.S., Japan, Taiwan, and Australia, as well as marathon enthusiast Stephanie from the banking industry to share their experiences of running overseas marathons.

Ms. Joey So, General Manager of Expedia Northeast Asia (second from right), shares related experiences with fellow marathon enthusiasts

One of the biggest differences between overseas marathons and those in Hong Kong lies in the atmosphere. For example, Stephanie, who has run in Kyoto, Singapore, Taiwan’s Tanaka, South Korea’s Chuncheon, Taipei, and Nanjing, used Kyoto as an example—mentioning that the course passes many tourist attractions, and locals even put on spontaneous performances of traditional Kyoto arts to cheer on runners. In Taiwan’s Tanaka, local residents evenline the streets to welcome runners, offering them special local dishes and cooling herbal teas to relieve heat and thirst. Mostnotably, every village along the route displays aXXX“Welcome” sign, living up to Taiwan’s reputation as themost passionate marathon destination.

The marathon in Tanaka, Taichung

Thinking of going to experience it yourself? Currently, the dates and official website links for major global marathons are available. Some popular races require registration up to a year in advance, andExpediahas alsospecifically launched the “Marathon Hotel Voucher Special” for Hong Kong’s marathon enthusiasts. Simply log in via the link below by8the31of the month to claim a HK$200 electronic hotel voucher. Voucher redemption link:www.expedia.com.hk/Travel4Marathon

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