Tourism chief draws veil over promoting acupressure and massage as overnight activities to tourists

Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung avoids mentioning whether the government will publicize and promote local overnight activities like massage and singing karaoke, and suggests tourists visit bars or stargaze in rural areas.

In response to suggestions made by lawmaker Kitson Yang Wing-kit, who proposed the government encourage tourists to stay in Hong Kong by promoting midnight movies, acupressure and massage, karaoke, late-night on-street cooked food stalls, morning bazaars etc, Yeung said the Tourism Board has already integrated a series of nightlife hotspots to recommend activities to tourists.

He pointed out that tourists can visit photogenic bars, do some late-night shopping, and stargaze in rural areas, without directly responding to Yang's suggestions.

Regarding whether discussions would be held with cinema operators, bar owners, and restaurants to extend their operating hours or have overnight movie screenings during major festivals, Yeung said that would be the merchants' calls based on commercial considerations. He added that some cinemas in busy districts do offer additional screenings during festive periods.

Furthermore, Yeung said that when deciding the timing of large-scale events, factors such as expected attendance, participant experience, impact on nearby residents as well as noise nuisance and transportation arrangements are all taken into account. Organizers have to make careful considerations when deciding whether to host overnight activities.

He added that the government has long been encouraging theme parks to actively formulate and launch various events, including night events with extended opening hours.