Singapore ETO supports Hong Kong racers at LOVEBoracay International Dragon Boat Festival and promotes Hong Kong as Asia's events capital (with photos)
******************************************************************************************
Jointly organised by the Boracay Dragon Boat Association (BDBA), Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) and the local government unit of the Municipality of Malay, Aklan Province, the Festival attracted over 50 teams from 14 countries and regions, with some 2 000 athletes participating to compete for awards in five race categories. Among them, seven teams with nearly 200 racers were from Hong Kong. In support of the Hong Kong athletes, the Singapore ETO sponsored complimentary round-trip local transportation between the airport and hotel for all Hong Kong participants.
To further engage with the Hong Kong teams and strengthen exchanges with local counterparts, the Singapore ETO hosted a "Hong Kong Night" dinner yesterday (April 25), attended by about 40 guests, including representatives from Hong Kong teams, the BDBA, the PDBF, the local government unit of the Municipality of Malay, and the International Dragon Boat Federation. The evening facilitated active exchanges on dragon boat training and race experiences, as well as exploration of further collaboration and participation in future events.
This evening (April 26), the Director of the Singapore ETO, Ms Elsa Hung, attended the Festival's prize presentation ceremony and presented the HKETO Championship trophies, sponsored by the Singapore ETO, to the champions of the five race categories.
Speaking at the ceremony, Ms Hung said that dragon boat racing has deep cultural roots and always brings together people from different regions and backgrounds, fostering exchange and friendship and inspiring a spirit of striving for excellence. She thanked the organisers for their dedicated efforts in organising the Festival and its continued support for Hong Kong teams, leading to a steady increase in the number of Hong Kong athletes taking part in the Festival in recent years.
She added that the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board annually in June are a signature mega event that attracted over 4 500 participating athletes from around the world last year. The 2026 Races, marking the 50th anniversary of this iconic event, will be held on June 27 and 28. She invited athletes and participants in the Festival to join this cherished tradition and golden anniversary celebration in Hong Kong.
Ms Hung highlighted that the Philippines is one of Hong Kong's key partners. In 2025, Hong Kong welcomed a record high of 1.35 million visitors from the Philippines, representing a 12.8 per cent increase over 2024 and making the Philippines the second-largest non-Mainland visitor source market. Hong Kong has been forging ahead with its mega events economy, with a diverse array of events held throughout the year spanning finance and business, arts and culture, creative industries, sports and beyond. Ms Hung invited friends from the Philippines, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations region and around the world to visit and experience Hong Kong's unique vibrancy, diversity and charm as the events capital of Asia.
Ends/Sunday, April 26, 2026
Issued at HKT 18:45
Issued at HKT 18:45
NNNN
Photo
