The government strongly supports influencers to promote Hong Kong and encourages sector participation in efforts to attract global attention through “market-savvy and humorous” approaches, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said.

Speaking at a Legislative Council Q&A session, Lee revealed that authorities invited 650 influencers in the first quarter of this year, including from the UK, Australia, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, mainland China and Taiwan.

Among them, an Australian influencer’s content alone garnered 50 million views, he said.

Last year, 2,600 influencers promoted Hong Kong, generating 380 million views.

The remarks came after US internet celebrity IShowSpeed, who has over 38 million followers, visited Hong Kong in April, drawing crowds of young fans.

Lawmaker Dominic Lee Tsz-king of the New People’s Party cited the influencer’s trip, noting it countered "US-backed Western media smear campaigns against China" and highlighted the power of viral content.

However, he pointed out that Hong Kong lacks a systematic policy to collaborate with high-profile influencers and asked whether the government would establish funding schemes to attract them or support local influencers attending international events.

Lee responded that promoting Hong Kong’s story has been a priority since he took office, emphasizing the need to adapt to social trends.

He pledged support for private-sector initiatives, calling for creativity in boosting engagement.

"If resources are limited, we’ll consider appropriate assistance," Lee said, adding that commercial efforts could be more flexible than government campaigns.

(Ayra Wang)

Gov’t backs influencers to promote HK but advocates innovative commercial involvement: John Lee