Keynote speech by SCST at Hong Kong Tourism Overview 2026 (English only)
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Dr Peter Lam (Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB)), distinguished guests, industry leaders, friends from the travel industry, ladies and gentlemen,
Good morning. It is my absolute pleasure to join you today. Honestly, I cannot believe that this is already my second TO attended in the capacity of Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Last year, I shared three messages at the TO. I said, firstly, that we must effectively capitalise on our motherland's strong support. Secondly, I said we must savour our traditional strengths and reinvent them into new offerings. Thirdly, I said I invited everyone to be a tourism ambassador and, as such, Hong Kong's success lies with us all. With these in mind, we had a very industrious year, and I believe it is in order for the tourism trade collectively to congratulate ourselves on a job very well done!
Review of 2025 and snapshot of Q1 2026
Under the strong leadership of Dr Peter Lam, and the hard work of Anthony Lau (Executive Director of HKTB) and his team, I'd like to call this "the returning of the heavyweights" (重磅回歸, pun intended). We laid incredible groundwork, which resulted in the impressive report card that was just outlined by Peter - Hong Kong welcomed 49.9 million visitors, a robust 12 per cent increase over 2024. As an illustration, the 2025 episode of the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival earned Hong Kong much praise, and saw a 30 per cent growth in terms of daily average attendance and a 40 per cent growth in terms of daily token spending. Many guests named it one of the best wine and dine festivals they have ever attended and already looked forward to returning this year. We showed the world loud and clear: Hong Kong is back, and back big time! This year, 2026, is the Year of the Horse. In Chinese culture, the horse signifies a force of nature, representing vitality, unbridled energy, with tireless drive to forge ahead for success.
We have already kick-started this year with incredible momentum. From the pulsing energy of the Chinese New Year (CNY) Night Parade and the breathtaking fireworks over Victoria Harbour to the CNY race day in Sha Tin, visitor arrivals for the first two months of 2026 surged 18 per cent year on year; that is to say nearly 10 million visitors have already visited Hong Kong this year. So, true to the Chinese zodiac sign, 2026 is our year to gallop, and today, here at the TO, we are sharing with you our roadmap for this thrilling ride.
First of all, our target. In 2026, we expect annual visitor arrivals to reach 53.8 million, representing an increase of approximately 8 per cent over 2025. Looking at the vibrancy of our streets and our packed events calendar, I have full confidence that this target is within our reach quantitatively. But we are not just chasing numbers; we are pursuing value, quality and lasting impact. Today's travellers crave unique experiences that money alone cannot necessarily buy. For example, they want to feel the thunder of drums at dragon boat races on Victoria Harbour; the electric buzz as a top-ranking, purebred, fine horse charges to victory at Happy Valley or Sha Tin. They seek emotional resonance - a scene of the old Hong Kong they saw on a TV drama or movie during their childhood, or a taste of pineapple char siu bun in either a Michelin-starred Chinese restaurant or your typical cha chaan teng around the street corner. Young or mature, today's tourists are discerning, digitally savvy, and demand authenticity. If they have a common purpose, it is to take a wonderful story home.
Strategies
So what should we do to give our tourists a good time, a wonderful story? I say we propel Hong Kong into a new era of quality upgrades and deep integration of culture, sports and tourism, in full alignment with our nation's freshly announced 15th Five-Year Plan. Hong Kong is evolving from a destination on our own into a premier show window for our motherland.
Specifically, we embrace the concept of "+Tourism". In essence, this is a strategic pivot: take the sectors where Hong Kong already shines - culture, sports and mega events - and apply the "+Tourism" multiplier to unlock their full potential. It is about weaving our rich cultural heritage, stunning city and natural landscapes, and adrenaline-pumping sports events into one unforgettable tapestry.
Dominating the mega events calendar
First, let's talk about the engine driving Hong Kong tourism forward in 2026 - mega events.
We are earnestly solidifying our status as a year-round, world-class capital of mega events.
At the heart of our cultural beat is the return of Art March. With an expanded footprint, the Hong Kong Arts Festival kicks off the cultural calendar, presenting over 45 productions, featuring more than 1 100 international and local artists. We are showcasing Asian premieres of world-renowned works alongside original local productions across music, opera, dance, theatre and Chinese performing arts. If your heart is set on grabbing a piece of art to take home, ComplexCon, Art Central, and of course Art Basel will soon take the stage one by one, turning our entire city into a living gallery of fine works of all kinds.
We are also in the golden era of sports tourism. Just in the last 10 weeks, we have already witnessed the success of the Hong Kong Marathon, Hong Kong International Horse Show, World Snooker Grand Prix and LIV Golf Hong Kong. And the spectacle doesn't stop here.
This coming Sunday, March 22, all eyes will be on the Hong Kong Derby. As the pinnacle of the four-year-old classic series, we are positioning it as more than a race under our "+Tourism" strategy. Imagine high-value visitors flying in for the thrill of the races, then exploring Art Basel, and capping the night with Michelin-starred dining. That is one facet of Hong Kong lifestyles that surely mesmerises.
And in just a few weeks, we will feel the ground shaking with passion as the Hong Kong Sevens takes centre stage at our Kai Tak Sports Park celebrating its 50th anniversary. Kai Tak Sports Park, recently named by TIME magazine as one of the World's Greatest Places, is a game-changer for Hong Kong, giving us the capabilities to host events and international concerts that were hitherto impossible. Its crown jewel, the Kai Tak Stadium alone, has welcomed over 2 million spectators and ranked third for ticket sales and fifth for gross revenue worldwide last year, leading all Asian venues in both categories.
Our efforts won't stop. As announced in the 2026-27 Budget, $1.66 billion will be allocated for the Hong Kong Tourism Board to scale up flagship events, extend event durations, and introduce new themed light festivals. We will further intensify the crossover of culture, sports, and tourism, ensuring the "Mega Events + Tourism" multiplier effect turns visitor flow into consumption flow, and short-term buzz into long-term economic gain.
Deepening our unique narrative
Beyond mega events, we are sparing no effort in deepening our unique narrative. One important facet we have been developing is perhaps the most universal language of all: food.
Gastronomy is our calling card. Following the success of World's 50 Best Bars, we will host the Asia's 50 Best Restaurants 2026 awards next Wednesday (March 25), cementing our title as the culinary capital of Asia.
Complementing this is the Hong Kong Tourism Board's "Taste Hong Kong" campaign, curating the best of our culinary world for global travellers. From the fiery dai pai dongs in Temple Street to the quiet precision of Michelin-starred mastery; from a comforting bowl of wonton noodle to an innovative degustation menu - there is no doubt that the best version of every flavour is right here in Hong Kong.
I mentioned the Wine & Dine Festival just now. This year it will be presented as a city-wide celebration of all things food and beverage that is ever so vibrant and colourful. I eagerly await the gathering of top culinary talents and renowned wineries to create unique tasting experiences at our Central Harbourfront, demonstrating the powerful appeal of Hong Kong's gastronomic offerings.
I also mentioned telling the unique, irresistible Hong Kong story. We are capitalising on the "set-jetting" phenomenon - where travellers visit locations seen in films and dramas - through the cinematic journey at the revitalised Kowloon Walled City and the Yau Ma Tei Police Station, both of which are immersive environments where visitors can step into some of the most memorable scenes from Hong Kong cinema.
Our world-class cultural anchors - M+ and Hong Kong Palace Museum, where two-thirds of visitors are tourists - will continue to amaze. Following the blockbuster "Ancient Egypt Unveiled" exhibition, we will leverage our role as an East-meets-West centre for culture and arts to present more groundbreaking dialogues between East and West.
Our theme parks and attractions are also powering ahead. For Hong Kong Disneyland, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary until June, a new Pixar-themed experience and a new exciting Marvel-themed area are in the pipeline. Ocean Park is charging toward the 2028 opening of its new adventure zone, featuring bungee jumps and zip lines. We will continue to enhance the infrastructure and appeal of our theme parks to welcome even more families and friends.
With compelling itineraries offering diverse experiences for high-value travellers, we are proud to see Hong Kong's cruise tourism continues to thrive, with a 26 per cent increase in ship calls in 2025 compared to 2024, and cruise passenger throughput up by 22 per cent. Things on this front are looking good this year as well. For example, we had cruise ships berthing in Hong Kong every day during the Chinese New Year Golden Week, new luxurious ships calling, and triple, even quadruple berthing are often seen in our busy terminals. Beyond on-shore spending of our cruise visitors, economic benefits also arise from the operation of cruise ships, such as berthing fees, reprovisioning, hiring of ground handlers, as well as the spending of crew members themselves of each cruise ship.
Driving regional synergy
We cannot speak of strength without acknowledging our hinterland. To Hong Kong, the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is not just a neighbouring region; it is our accelerator.
We are unlocking the boundless potential of the GBA. Over the past years, the Central Government rolled out measures to facilitate visitor arrivals to Hong Kong. The multiple-entry Individual Visit Scheme for Shenzhen residents, the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme (粵車南下) in 2025, as well as four more ports connecting Hong Kong as the entry points for international tourists to visit the Mainland under the 240-hour visa-free transit policy. All these have unleashed tremendous opportunities for our tourism trade by enabling more convenient travel to our city.
The successful cohosting of the National Games with Guangdong and Macao showcased the power of integrated regional collaboration. We will further deepen Hong Kong's role as a super-connector between the world and the GBA by developing more multi-destination travel products for international travellers. One can fly into our world-class airport, spend a few days enjoying the cosmopolitan flair of Hong Kong, take the High-Speed Rail to explore the heritage of other GBA cities, and finish with a fun stop in Macao. The experience is seamless.
Hospitality as the soul of tourism
Having outlined our key strategies, here is my biggest appeal to you all. Our goal is clear and simple: to make Hong Kong a destination where every visitor is delighted to stay, reluctant to leave, and eager to return. We can build the biggest stadium, host the biggest stars and exhibit world-class treasures - but none of that matters without the software. None of that matters without you - the travel agents, hoteliers, attractions, restauranteurs, airline operators, our tour guides, our service providers and so many more. You are the ones who deliver the experience. You are the ones who turn a trip into a memory.
Hospitality is Hong Kong's core soft power. But we must adapt to the specific and changing needs of our visitors. For our growing Muslim visitor segment, we are expanding Muslim-friendly infrastructure, increasing Halal-certified dining options, and providing prayer facilities at major attractions to ensure that they feel truly welcome and comfortable. For MICE visitors, we are adopting a "Bleisure" (business + leisure) mindset - blending business efficiency with exclusive leisure experiences - to inspire visitors to extend their stay. For family visitors, we are enhancing family-friendly amenities city-wide, ensuring that exploring Hong Kong is stress-free for parents and magical for children.
I am proud to say that our tourism family has always been defined by professionalism, efficiency and sincerity in serving our visitors. To acknowledge these heroes of hospitality, we have championed excellent performers across retail, dining, and hospitality through extensive media coverage. We are celebrating the concierge who works miracles, the taxi driver who acts as an impromptu tour guide, and the shop assistant who treats a customer like an old friend. These are our living ambassadors.
Storytelling has become the core competency we are cultivating. We must equip frontline staff with not just information, but narrative tools to share the beauty of our landscapes, the craft behind our dim sum, and the stories behind our skyline.
Closing
My friends, the stage is set. We have the strategy, assets, targets and, most importantly, the spirit ready. Standing at the opening chapter of our country's 15th Five-Year Plan, backed by our world-class infrastructures and your relentless drive for excellence, I say this with absolute confidence: We have everything we need to succeed. Let us show the world our energy, our resilience, and our unique Hong Kong charm.
Thank you.
Ends/Wednesday, March 18, 2026
Issued at HKT 12:06
Issued at HKT 12:06
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