Destination Hong Kong: How Peninsula’s 2025 Art Programme Is Drawing Affluent Travelers for Luxury and Culture Fusion

The Peninsula Hong Kong has unveiled a new dimension in experiential travel with the official launch of its 2025 Art in Resonance programme. Timed with the city’s vibrant Art Basel week, this edition of the programme is poised to enrich cultural tourism by offering immersive artistic installations within a luxury hospitality setting. From late March through May 2025, travelers visiting Hong Kong will encounter world-class commissioned artworks integrated directly into the hotel’s iconic public spaces—transforming the property into a cultural destination in its own right.

Positioned at the intersection of luxury, art, and travel, the initiative is expected to significantly influence traveler behavior among art collectors, cultural tourists, and high-net-worth individuals seeking meaningful travel experiences. In particular, the programme supports the growing trend of experiential hospitality, where hotel stays are not merely functional, but deeply connected to local creativity, history, and aesthetic expression.

From Hong Kong to London: An International Cultural Journey

Travelers moving between Asia and Europe will find a bridge between cultures through Art in Resonance. Notably, the collaboration with the Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) in London ensures that this art programme extends beyond the hotel grounds, with selected installations heading to the UK in Autumn 2025. This strategic partnership is more than just an exhibition exchange—it represents a unique cultural pipeline that blends heritage, innovation, and public access to contemporary works.

By showcasing Chinese contemporary studio crafts at the V&A’s South Kensington location, the Peninsula’s artistic initiative is helping spotlight emerging and mid-career Asian artists on the world stage. Global travelers with an appreciation for design and heritage are likely to follow these installations across borders, adding London to their 2025 travel calendars.

Immersive Installations Offer Travelers Unexpected Encounters with Art

At The Peninsula Hong Kong, three major artworks will headline the programme through May. Guests checking into the hotel or simply visiting during the city’s art week can expect to be greeted first by Lunar Rainbow, a massive 56-square-metre installation mounted on the façade of the hotel. Created by Hong Kong multimedia artist Phoebe Hui, the installation incorporates fragmented lunar imagery laser-etched on 49 aluminum plates. This celestial composition was generated by a custom algorithm that traces lunar visual records from the 17th century to present-day open-source archives.

More than just an aesthetic display, Lunar Rainbow offers viewers an intellectual and emotional journey—blending scientific history with artistic storytelling. Hui’s goal was to celebrate resilience, possibility, and the pursuit of new perspectives. The design incorporates moonbow-inspired lighting, which surprises viewers by converging into a full image from a specific vantage point—an element that may encourage repeated visits and social media sharing by tourists and art lovers alike.

Meanwhile, inside the grand lobby, guests will discover She’s Bestowed Love, a textile-based sculptural work by Lin Fanglu from Dalian, China. Created in collaboration with the V&A’s Asia Department curator Dr Xiaoxin Li, this vivid red installation celebrates femininity, maternal strength, and intergenerational wisdom. Drawing from Yunnan’s Bai textile traditions and referencing the nurturing archetype of Greek goddess Gaia, Lin’s work connects traditional craft with contemporary aesthetics. After its Hong Kong exhibition run, the piece will become the statement installation for the V&A’s year-long Dimensions: Chinese Contemporary Studio Crafts show in London.

Another key installation, located at The Verandah, is The Flow Pavilion by Chris Cheung (also known as h0nh1m). This artwork features a mirrored tea house structure surrounded by a modern Zen garden. Inside, a kinetic orb moves across a hand-tufted silk carpet, with its motion guided by Cheung’s own recorded brainwave data during meditation. The piece, created in partnership with Tai Ping, invites guests into a tranquil “flow state”—a theme that seamlessly blends ancient mindfulness techniques with next-generation digital expression.

These installations are not just displays—they serve as portals into the soul of the city. For high-end travelers seeking authentic and mindful tourism, this format creates lasting impressions that go beyond sightseeing. It offers a full-body, immersive narrative rooted in place, people, and philosophy.

A Strategic Boost to Cultural Tourism and Destination Branding

The Peninsula’s Art in Resonance initiative is expected to create ripple effects throughout the local tourism ecosystem in Hong Kong. Art Basel already draws a sizable number of international travelers to the city each year. By layering in a luxury hotel art experience, the brand is enabling greater value for cultural travelers—adding another must-see stop on their itinerary.

Moreover, the curated programme helps Hong Kong continue repositioning itself as a global cultural capital post-pandemic. The emphasis on homegrown artists like Hui and Cheung demonstrates a localized storytelling approach that resonates with travelers seeking authenticity and place-based meaning. These cultural offerings also support extended stays and increased hotel occupancy by offering guests exclusive, in-house experiences.

The Peninsula is not alone in this strategy. Globally, hotels in cultural hubs like Paris, Tokyo, and Istanbul are similarly developing in-house art programmes to deepen the guest experience and attract creative-minded travelers. However, The Peninsula’s initiative is particularly noteworthy for its:

• Cross-continental partnerships with iconic institutions like the V&A
• Commissioning of new works, not just exhibiting existing pieces
• Integration with culinary and in-room experiences, such as themed afternoon teas and cocktail menus inspired by the artworks

A Multi-Sensory Stay for the Art-Inclined Traveler

To enhance the connection between art and lifestyle, The Peninsula Hong Kong is offering a special experience package titled The Art of Luxury. This includes a guided tour of the exhibition, a themed Afternoon Tea in The Lobby, and access to delicacies inspired by the artworks, such as chocolate bonbons, cookies, and Matcha Mochi paired with Sencha Green Tea. Artist-themed cocktails are also being served at Felix and The Bar—bringing the art experience from the visual to the culinary.

These experiential offerings blur the lines between exhibition space and lifestyle immersion. Guests will even find artist-designed postcards and chocolate amenities in their rooms, further solidifying the brand’s commitment to multi-sensory storytelling. Such offerings may influence travelers to choose art-integrated hotels over standard luxury options, sparking wider industry shifts in how luxury hospitality approaches cultural engagement.

Global Impacts: Redefining How Tourists Interact with Art

The programme is also expected to influence traveler behavior in destinations beyond Hong Kong. With artworks touring other Peninsula properties and appearing at the V&A in London, there is potential for a multi-stop cultural tourism circuit tied to the Art in Resonance calendar. Travelers passionate about contemporary art may plan their itineraries around future installations in cities such as Tokyo, Paris, or New York.

Additionally, as art becomes an anchor for high-end hotel experiences, travel brands may increasingly partner with museums, galleries, and independent artists to curate bespoke in-hotel exhibitions. This trend is likely to reshape luxury marketing strategies by positioning hotels as cultural hubs, not just accommodation providers.

Looking Ahead: Art as a Pillar of Sustainable Tourism

While the 2025 edition of Art in Resonance is rooted in luxury, its cultural sustainability message is powerful. By funding new artistic voices and preserving traditional crafts through modern expression, the programme supports the broader goals of responsible and heritage-oriented tourism. It emphasizes cultural preservation through storytelling—a theme that resonates with modern travelers seeking meaning and purpose behind their journeys.

According to Gareth Roberts, Executive Director and COO of The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, the initiative is a reflection of their long-standing commitment to cultural exchange and creativity. By creating a platform where tradition meets innovation, and where local talent is elevated onto the global stage, the Peninsula group is offering travelers something far more lasting than a typical hotel stay—it’s providing an invitation to experience the world through the eyes of its artists