This striking original circa 1970 travel poster for Philippine Airlines promotes Hong Kong as an alluring destination, combining the traditions of Asia with modern metropolitan dynamism.
The photographic composition captures an iconic Chinese junk with its distinctive battened sails gliding across Victoria Harbour. Behind it rises the dense skyline of Hong Kong, with modern high-rise buildings climbing the foothills, showcasing the city’s rapid urban development during the post-war economic boom.
The design features a clean white border framing the central image within an arched window, a popular 1970s graphic device evoking elegance and world travel. The minimal typography – simply “Hong Kong” at the top and “Philippine Airlines” at the base with their streamlined roundel logo – reflects International Style clarity, positioning the airline as a bridge between Southeast Asia and the world.
Founded in 1941, Philippine Airlines is Asia’s oldest commercial airline still operating under its original name. By the 1970s, it expanded routes across Asia and beyond, with Hong Kong as a central regional hub. This poster embodies the era’s glamour of air travel, evoking an invitation to explore bustling ports, neon-lit markets, and colonial and Chinese cultural heritage.
Today, original Philippine Airlines posters are rare collectibles prized for their photographic realism, refined graphic simplicity, and representation of Asia’s mid-century tourism boom.
Airline - Tourism - Photography
Good condition, a stain
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