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Willa Wu

Hong Kong will attract about 840,000 visitors and HK$3.3 billion (US$424.1 million) worth of spending in the first half of the year thanks to mega-events, the city’s leader has said, while also vowing to tap national development opportunities.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the line-up of mega-events being held in the first six months would generate additional economic value worth HK$1.8 billion.
“Under the ‘one country, two systems’ governing principle, Hong Kong can enjoy both national and international advantages,” Lee said before his weekly meeting with the key decision-making Executive Council.
“In the coming year, Hong Kong will face both opportunities and challenges, but the opportunities outweigh the challenges.
“We estimate that various mega-events in the first half of the year will attract about 840,000 visitors, bringing consumption expenditure of around HK$3.3 billion to Hong Kong.”
Lee pointed to the string of popular arts, cultural and sports events being held as part of “Hong Kong Super March” next month.
Among the events are the World Snooker Grand Prix 2025, which will see the top 32 professional players compete at the newly opened Kai Tak Sports Park from March 4 to 9, and LIV Golf Hong Kong, which is taking place from March 7 to 9 at the Hong Kong Golf Club.
The golf event last year attracted 40,000 spectators and brought about HK$200 million to the city, the chief executive said.
The Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament, which used to welcome 40,000 fans at Hong Kong Stadium, will be able to entertain an additional 10,000 people at Kai Tak Stadium in its inaugural edition at the new venue.
Other events in March include ComplexCon Hong Kong, Art Central, Art Basel and a Picasso exhibition at the M+ museum, which Lee said would welcome a combined 400,000 attendees, as well as a series of large-scale exhibitions and fairs that were expected to draw 120,000 high-value business visitors.
Lee also revealed that a briefing session would be held in the city on Wednesday concerning the second amendment of the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (Cepa), which will take effect on March 1 to further lower the threshold for Hong Kong businesses and professionals in seven sectors to enter mainland China’s services market.
Representatives from more than a dozen central government departments, including the Ministry of Commerce, will join officials from the city to provide detailed introductions and implementation arrangements to sectors such as tourism, television and film.

Lee said the total value of merchandise trade between the mainland and Hong Kong exceeded HK$4.8 trillion last year, more than three times the level before the implementation of Cepa in 2003, representing an average annual growth rate of 5.6 per cent.
The number of service trade sectors that the mainland had opened fully or partially to the city had reached 153, or 96 per cent of the overall 160, he added.
The chief executive said Hong Kong would be able to make the most of opportunities in the coming year if it stayed on the path of unity, reform and innovation to grasp the development opportunities offered by the country.
He also expressed gratitude for the suggestions and guidance from Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office director Xia Baolong, whom he was unable to meet in Shenzhen last week due to his attendance at the Asian Winter Games in Harbin, Heilongjiang province.
Xia met Hong Kong finance chief Paul Chan Mo-po and seven other senior officials to hear their plans on the economy and financial services.
Xia, who is Beijing’s top official on Hong Kong affairs, called on the city’s government to “be bold in reform, dare to break new ground” and innovate continuously while boosting cooperation and collaboration within the Greater Bay Area.
Lee said on Tuesday he had confidence in the current governing team, which he described as a very united and consensus-driven team that had rolled out many reform initiatives in the past 2½ years.
“The government has introduced reform measures to address shortcomings in different systems and institutions. The government’s culture and pace of action have also improved,” Lee said.
“But social issues exist every day, and new problems will also arise. The government will keep striving to succeed.”
Asked about missing Xia’s meeting, Lee said he was in Harbin with Macau Chief Executive Sam Hou-fai and he maintained constant and good communication with the senior Beijing official.
Lee said he had always supported the secretaries and bureau chiefs from his administration to personally report and explain policy details to different stakeholders.


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Hong Kong tourism

Hong Kong’s mega-events to attract 840,000 visitors in first 6 months: John Lee

Art Basel is among the mega-events expected to draw large crowds in the first half of the year. Photo: Eugene Lee

The main stadium at Kai Tak Sports Park will host the popular Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament for the first time this year. Photo: Eugene Lee

‘Hong Kong to welcome 1.45 million mainland tourists over Lunar New Year’

Mainland tourists enjoy a view of Victoria Harbour from the waterfront in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Sam Tsang

Passengers arrive at the West Kowloon high-speed rail terminus. Photo: May Tse

From Taylor Swift to Messi: looking back at Hong Kong’s 2024 mega-event flops

Hong Kong authorities were grilled by lawmakers this year over their failure to secure popular acts such as Taylor Swift. Photo: Getty Images

Lionel Messi’s decision not to play in an exhibition match earned the ire of his Hong Kong fans. Photo: Sam Tsang

The Chubby Hearts Hong Kong exhibition prompted concerns over the spending of taxpayer money. Photo: Dickson Lee

550,000 tourists drawn to Hong Kong mega-events, spending HK$2.4 billion

The Triathlon World Cup was among sporting events held in the first half of 2024. Photo: Elson Li

“Chubby Hearts Hong Kong” was supported by the government’s mega-events fund. Photo: Sam Tsang

News

Hong Kong

Politics

Art Basel, Art Central and ComplexCon touted as major drivers, as city gears up for ‘Hong Kong Super March’


Art Basel, Art Central and ComplexCon touted as major drivers, as city gears up for ‘Hong Kong Super March’.
