Chapter VIII 

Promote the Integrated Development of Culture, Sports and Tourism

174. The Government will continue to advance the integrated development of culture, sports and tourism, generating fresh economic momentum and raising Hong Kong's global appeal.

(A) East-meets-West Centre for International Cultural Exchange

175. The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau (CSTB) published the Blueprint for Arts and Culture and Creative Industries Development last year, setting out clear directions for the long-term development of arts and cultural policies to consolidate Hong Kong's position as the East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange. We will develop a premium arts trading hub and promote the diverse development of the West Kowloon Cultural District (WKCD) and local cultural and creative industries. We will also refocus the performance venues, develop flagship arts and cultural projects, intensify promotion of intangible cultural heritage (ICH), and introduce commercial elements to enrich LCSD facilities and events.

Develop a Premium Arts Trading Hub

176. Hong Kong is among the world's top three arts trading centres. We will step up our efforts to build Hong Kong into a global premium arts trading hub, attracting more international auction houses, galleries, and professionals to establish a presence here. Measures include:

(i) Develop an arts ecosystem at the Airport City to host arts studios, galleries, and dealers under one roof, supported by large-scale arts storage and related facilities.

(ii) Enhance our international arts trading platform by deepening collaboration with Art Basel, thereby consolidating the position of Hong Kong as the exclusive host city in the region.

(iii) Engage the industry to carry out studies on taxation, financing, talent, and related areas of arts trading to explore policy measures applicable to Hong Kong.

177. The WKCD will take forward the development of the arts trading ecosystem and introduce the following measures next year:

(i) Discuss leasing strategies with the developer of Artist Square Towers to attract more arts trading enterprises, including galleries, insurance companies, and family offices, to lease space in the towers, scheduled for completion in 2026-27.

(ii) Establish an international collaboration network for arts conservation, and provide professional training and internship opportunities.

(iii) Expand training for talents in curation, conservation, arts administration, and other fields systematically.

Diverse Development of the West Kowloon Cultural District

178. The WKCD is the most significant arts and cultural infrastructure investment in Hong Kong. The WKCD Authority will:

(i) Organise more high-profile international events, including the second Hong Kong International Cultural Summit and the Annual Conference 2026 of the Association of Asia Pacific Performing Arts Centres.

(ii) Tour exhibitions overseas and in the Mainland to showcase exhibitions and collections of M+ and Hong Kong Palace Museum. M+ will also co-organise exhibitions with internationally renowned museums. More Mainland tours of "The Impossible Trial"¹¹ will be organised to develop the musical into a long-running classic.

(iii) Commission the WestK Quay at the end of this year to enhance the WKCD's accessibility and foster the complementary development of arts and culture, entertainment and tourism.

(iv) Establish the WestK Academy to provide professional training for arts and cultural organisations and practitioners from Hong Kong, overseas, and the Mainland.

Foster the Development of Local Cultural and Creative Industries

179. Last year, I announced plans to develop Hong Kong into a fashion design hub in Asia. This year, Hong Kong Fashion Fest will promote digital fashion and sustainable fashion in collaboration with Paris Fashion Week and Milan Fashion Week.

180. Over the past three years, films funded by the Cultural and Creative Industries Development Agency (CCIDA) through the Film Development Fund have accounted for nearly 30% of Hong Kong films box office receipts. The CCIDA will enhance publicity, exchanges, and business matching overseas and in the Mainland.

181. The CCIDA proactively assists Hong Kong cultural and creative designers in producing more cultural and creative products with Chinese and Hong Kong cultural features, and in the incubation of local cultural IP. It will continue to support the enhancement of the Asia IP Exchange Portal, to strengthen support for local original works to enter the Mainland and international markets.

Refocus the Performance Venues and Promote Performing Arts Mega Events

182. With the opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP), the Government has announced the enhancement of the positioning of various performance venues. The Hong Kong Coliseum will be refocused to prioritise concerts, the East Kowloon Cultural Centre will promote long-running performances and arts technology, and the Sha Tin Town Hall Auditorium will prominently feature Cantonese opera.

Develop Signature Arts and Cultural Flagship Projects and Strengthen the Promotion of Intangible Cultural Heritage

183. In the past two years, the Government has developed signature arts and cultural flagship projects to attract locals as well as tourists, including the Hong Kong Pop Culture Festival, the Asia+ Festival, the Chinese Culture Festival, the Hong Kong Performing Arts Expo and Hong Kong ICH Month. The Government will continue to strengthen the promotion of district-based ICH, promoting "ICH Around Town".

Introduce Market-based Business Models to Enhance the Services of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department

184. We will introduce market-based business models into designated LCSD facilities to provide more diverse value-added activities. These include leasing out museums on their closing days for commercial or private use, opening up more venues for hire, introducing paid guided tours for visitor groups, and developing more cultural and creative products to enhance visitor experience and operational efficacy. We will also explore the feasibility of engaging the market to enhance the operations of the Lei Yue Mun Park holiday camp and selected beaches, promoting the development of recreational, leisure, and aquatic hotspots.

(B) "Tourism is Everywhere"

185. As of August this year, the overall visitor arrivals had reached 33.2 million, a significant increase of 12% over the same period last year. The CSTB will enhance the development of tourism products and initiatives with local and international characteristics, realising the motif of "tourism is everywhere". We will also actively explore new visitor sources, improve visitor arrival arrangements, enhance immigration experience, and develop the yacht economy.

Develop the Yacht Economy

186. With 1 180 kilometres of shoreline and 263 islands, Hong Kong is well-positioned to become a yacht hub in Asia. We will enhance amenities for the yacht industry and promote prime yacht tourism:

(i) Provide approximately 600 additional yacht berths at the ex-Lamma Quarry, the Aberdeen Typhoon Shelter expansion, and the Hung Hom Station waterfront projects.

(ii) Promote the development of the yacht bay at the Airport City, providing more than 500 additional berths, including berths that can accommodate superyachts over 80 metres in length.

(iii) Relax the requirements for visiting yachts and develop a Dynamic Yacht Monitoring System, allowing visiting yachts to anchor at government designated waters and navigate in a safe and orderly manner, without having to reserve berths at privately-operated yacht clubs or piers.

(iv) Enhance the Electronic Business System to allow one-stop, pre-submission of arrival information from visiting yachts for preliminary vetting by relevant departments.

(v) Authorise relevant Mainland organisations to conduct examinations for local yacht masters, and offer short-term training courses to help visiting yacht masters of visiting yachts from the Mainland obtain qualifications for navigation in Hong Kong waters. These measures will be extended to visiting yachts from overseas in due course.

(vi) Promote the systemic development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao individual travel scheme for yachts, and co-operate with the Guangdong Provincial Government on facilitation measures for the northbound travel of yachts from Hong Kong and southbound travel for yachts from the Mainland.

Develop "Mega Events + Tourism"

187. We will attract visitors to extend their stay in Hong Kong and revisit again by interweaving an array of cultural festivals, tourism projects and mega events, promoting the development of "mega events + tourism".

188. Hong Kong Disneyland will upgrade its facilities upon its 20th anniversary this year. The Government will also continue to lead Ocean Park's collaboration with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) in rolling out more themed events and products to sustain the craze for giant pandas. With next year being the Year of the Horse, the HKJC will organise celebrations and performances under the theme of horse to promote horse racing tourism.

189. To support the hosting of mega events, the Fire Services Department will introduce a facilitation measure for the Temporary Place of Public Entertainment Licence by conducting compliance inspections of fire safety requirement via video conferencing for venues with lower safety risks.

Develop Cruise Tourism

190. Hong Kong's cruise tourism continues to thrive, with an anticipated increase of about 20% this year in the number of ship calls to Hong Kong compared with last year. Following an ongoing review of the terms and conditions of the tenancy agreement to boost the appeal and competitiveness of the terminal, the CSTB will begin a tender exercise for the operator of the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal by the end of this year.

Develop "Ecology + Tourism"

191. The Government will launch the "Four Peaks" tourism project proposed by the Working Group on Developing Tourist Hotspots and improve facilities in country parks. In addition, it will construct new facilities such as a tree-top adventure, an open museum of historical relics, and novel campsites.

192. We will also explore suitable means to connect rural attractions such as traditional villages and fields, ancestral halls and study halls, as well as folk activities etc., enriching visitors' experience of rural eco-tours through strolling and cycling.

Promote Local Thematic Immersive Tours

193. We will develop a variety of new tourist attractions, such as promoting the red tourism route of "Chinese Cultural Celebrities Rescue"; creating thematic floral gardens in the 18 districts; and promoting various immersive tour projects, including Hong Kong's industrial brand tourism, Old Town Central, Kowloon City, Victoria Park Bazaar and the opening of the former Yau Ma Tei Police Station for public visits. We will also open up the frontier closed areas at Mai Po and Starling Inlet for visitors.

194. The HKTB will stage an enhanced version of the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival to step up worldwide promotion of Hong Kong's bar and restaurant offerings, positioning the city as an international culinary hub. We will aestheticise Lan Kwai Fong and the surrounding streetscape in phases to foster "community-making". The HAD will also refine application guidelines to facilitate the operation of home-stay lodgings and holiday camps in rural areas. In addition, the DEVB will facilitate the conversion of village houses into home-stay lodgings or community eateries.

Establish Hong Kong as the Most Sought-after Destination for Premium Visitors

195. We will offer tailor-made luxury tours for high-spending visitors, and work with the industry to offer sophisticated itinerary planning, concierge services, and premium experience.
Proactively Develop the Middle East and ASEAN Tourism Markets and Facilitate Halal Certification

196. To further promote Muslim tourism, we will strengthen our strategy of "accreditation, education, and promotion", encouraging the industry to provide more Muslim-friendly facilities and food options. The HKTB will launch a funding scheme, beginning today through the end of next year, by providing a half-rate certification fee subsidy, capped at $5,000, for restaurants that have acquired Halal certification.

Enhance Immigration Experience

197. To enhance visitors' immigration experience, we will implement a "collaborative inspection and joint clearance" mode at the new Huanggang Port and the Sha Tau Kok Port under redevelopment, relax the eligibility criteria for frequent visitors wishing to use the e-Channel service, and establish Hong Kong's first "contactless clearance" pilot checkpoint at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Hong Kong Port, which enables immigration clearance via facial recognition technology.

198. We will implement a new "Outstanding Services Award Scheme", covering various tourism service industries, to commend merchants and industry practitioners for their outstanding products and services, and promote the hospitable culture through mass media.

(C) Promote Sports Development

199. The Government is fully committed to ensuring the successful delivery of the 15th National Games (NG) competition events in Hong Kong. We will also promote sports development by supporting elite sports, maintaining Hong Kong as a centre for major international sports events, enhancing professionalism in sports, developing sports as an industry, and promoting sports in the community. Efforts will be made to continuously improve the functionality and positioning of sports venues, enhance the governance of national sports associations (NSAs), strengthen support for athletes, and step up publicity in the community.
Ensure the Successful Delivery of the National Games

200. Co-hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macao for the first time, the 15th NG as well as the National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the National Special Olympic Games (NGDSO)¹² will be held in November and December 2025 respectively. We will spare no effort in staging the competitions to be held in Hong Kong, and work with Guangdong and Macao to make the 15th NG and NGDSO a success. We have collaborated with the industry to roll out various tourism products related to the Games, and have also arranged for local free television broadcasts to relay the competitions, allowing the public to cheer on the athletes.

Promote Synergy among Sports Venues

201. The KTSP plays a pivotal role in promoting sports mega events and developing sports as an industry. We will leverage its strengths to drive "sports + mega events" development.

202. We will review the positioning of the Hong Kong Stadium (HKS) to complement the KTSP and leverage the HKS's existing facilities to support sports development, such as serving as office space for NSAs, organising matches and related training, and hosting large-scale sports events.

203. To attract more world-class players to compete in Hong Kong, we have agreed on a multi-year partnership arrangement with LIV Golf, one of the most important golf tours in the world.

Enhance the Governance of National Sports Associations and Strengthen Support for Athletes

204. The review of the provision of direct financial support for elite athletes has been recently completed. The Government will continue to provide financial support for athletes so that they can concentrate on their training within a more financially stable context. Training efficacy will be enhanced by capitalising on the R&D outcomes of sports medicine.

205. The Sports Federation and Olympic Committee of Hong Kong, China will prioritise collaboration with NSAs that have relatively established governance frameworks, expedite the implementation of the Code of Governance and establish a governance paradigm. The Government will strive to support Asian or international sports associations to establish presence in Hong Kong through NSAs, while encouraging NSAs to participate in the work of these associations to strengthen the city's international voice and influence.

¹¹ An original musical from Hong Kong commissioned by WestK and co-produced with the Hong Kong Repertory Theatre.

¹² The 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities and the 9th National Special Olympic Games.

(To be continued.)

Ends/Wednesday, September 17, 2025
Issued at HKT 12:56

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