LCQ1: Promoting high-quality development of tourism industry
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Question:
The Government is vigorously developing the mega event economy to promote the development of the tourism industry. However, while the number of visitor arrivals increased by 12 per cent year-on-year last year, the increase in overnight visitors was only 6 per cent. There are views that although the ancillary facilities for cross-boundary transport following mega events facilitate travel for visitors, they also encourage visitors to depart immediately after the events, thereby preventing the mega event economy from transforming into actual economic benefits. Regarding promoting the high-quality development of the tourism industry, will the Government inform this Council:
(1) of the expenditure and revenue for each mega economic event organised or subsidised by the Government in the past three years, as well as the details of the per capita spending in Hong Kong by overnight and same-day visitors participating in these events; whether it has assessed the actual economic impact on local sectors, such as catering, retail and hotel, caused by the large number of visitors who do not stay overnight after participating in mega events;
(2) of the ways to promote the high-quality development of Hong Kong's tourism industry, ensuring that the visitor flows generated by the mega event economy can effectively transform into commercial dividends, so that sectors such as catering, retail, hotel, public transport and various leisure experiences can benefit comprehensively; and
(3) given that the Government has been vigorously exploring international tourism in recent years, and it is learnt that foreign investors are considering building hotels on outlying islands to develop a resort destination similar to Bali in Indonesia, whether the Government will consider providing assistance?
Reply:
Thank you, President.
Mega events are a vital engine driving Hong Kong's tourism and economic development. On the one hand, mega events directly attract visitors to Hong Kong, boosting consumption in sectors such as hotels, catering, and retail; on the other hand, they create employment opportunities in industries such as transport, logistics, and event production. The benefits of mega event economy should not be measured solely by whether visitors stay overnight. Even if some visitors arrive and depart on the same day, they generate actual spending on transport, catering, and experiential activities, etc, thereby driving the development of the entire industry chain. In particular, since its opening last year, the Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) has achieved a critical breakthrough for "Mega Events + Tourism". To date, the Kai Tak Stadium has hosted over 60 major sports events and concerts, attracting over 2.4 million spectators, effectively driving surrounding consumption and employment, and injecting tangible momentum into the local economy. The continuous rise in visitor arrivals also reflects the success of the "Mega Events + Tourism" strategy. In the first half of 2026, visitor arrivals to Hong Kong reached about 26.71 million, representing a year-on-year increase of 13 per cent, with Mainland and non-Mainland visitors increasing by 16 per cent and 5 per cent year-on-year respectively.
In response to the Hon Jonathan Stuart Lamport's question, my reply is as follows:
(1) In recent years, the Government, in collaboration with the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), has promoted various mega events to foster the integrated development of culture, sports, and tourism. Over the past three years, the "M" Mark System and the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund have supported a total of 95 events, involving an amount of approximately $1,125.04 million. The HKTB will also continue to enhance the scale of its six flagship events and introduce new elements to attract more visitors to Hong Kong.
Regarding visitor spending, there is a structural shift in visitor consumption patterns, moving from a previous focus on shopping to a greater emphasis on culture and experiences. In recent years, the per capita spending of overnight and same-day visitors remained at levels of over $5,000 and $1,000 respectively. In 2025, the per capita spending of overnight visitors rose slightly from $5,490 in 2024 to $5,503, and it is expected to increase slightly to $5,530 in 2026. For same-day visitors, per capita spending was adjusted from $1,235 in 2024 to $1,139 in 2025, and is expected to remain at a similar level in 2026. Although some visitors attending mega events do not stay overnight, they still spend on transport, catering, and entertainment. Taking the KTSP as an example, each event can create nearly 10 000 temporary jobs, and the actual economic contribution far exceeds ticket revenues and visitor spending. Benefiting from the robust growth in visitor arrivals, the tourism expenditure associated to inbound tourism in 2025 rose by 13 per cent over the previous year to $217.5 billion, and is expected to further increase by about 10 per cent to $238.1 billion in 2026.
(2) In response to changing visitor travel patterns, we are adopting a "Mega Events+" strategy to promote high-quality tourism development. Mega events are upgraded from standalone items into cross-period, cross-district themed experiences, with a view to extending visitors' stay in Hong Kong and broadening consumption scenarios so that catering, retail, hotels, and transport can all benefit. Taking the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens this year as an example, the three-day event attracted over 113 000 spectators, with over 30 per cent being non-local visitors. In the same week, the Tradition HKFC 10s and the "Racing with Rugby" activities at Happy Valley Racecourse were also held. Complemented by city-wide celebrations and catering discounts, this successfully stimulated the surrounding economy. On cultural mega events, "Art March" this year linked up multiple cultural events spanning the entire month, with Art Basel Hong Kong and Art Central jointly attracting around 55 000 visitor admissions. To further amplify the benefits of mega events, the HKTB will leverage major events in August this year, such as the Hong Kong Football Festival 2026 and the musical "CATS", to proactively collaborate with merchants across different districts to launch a new round of ticket stub discounts. It will also upgrade the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival, one of its flagship events, into a month-long "November Gourmet Month" to entice visitors to extend their stay in Hong Kong. We will also continue our efforts to bring major cultural, sports and tourism events to Hong Kong. For example, we have successfully secured the "HYROX World Championships 2027" to be held in Hong Kong for the first time.
Meetings, incentive travel, conventions and exhibitions tourism is a major source of high value-added overnight visitors. The Government, together with the HKTB, is actively striving to secure major international conventions and exhibitions to be staged in Hong Kong. For example, the five‑day 108th Lions International Convention successfully concluded yesterday (July 7), attracting around 17 000 delegates from across the globe. Some delegates also travelled to the city with their family members, generating demand for over 10 000 hotel rooms and boosting spending in catering, retail and related sectors, with significant economic benefits. In May this year, the HKTB also signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding with Informa Markets, a leading global trade exhibition organiser, to introduce a portfolio of premium international exhibitions, such as supercars and luxurious yachts, to Hong Kong, thereby attracting international high-end business visitors. Concurrently, the HKTB is actively expanding potential and high value-added source markets, such as the Middle East, to increase the proportion of overnight visitors.
(3) Hong Kong possesses unique coastal and island resources, with an edge in developing island tourism. The Government welcomes interested organisations to make good use of these natural resources to develop integrated resort projects on the premise of respecting and protecting the ecological environment, thereby offering visitors novel and diverse tourism experiences. If any organisation raises concrete proposal, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau is pleased to actively explore with relevant organisations and serve as a facilitator, co-ordinating with relevant bureaux and departments to remove administrative barriers and jointly foster the development.
Ends/Wednesday, July 8, 2026
Issued at HKT 15:05
Issued at HKT 15:05
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