Balloon festival organisers warned of unlikely approval for rides: Rosanna Law

The Hong Kong government had explicitly warned the organizers of the International Hot Air Balloon Fest that the chance of obtaining a license for passenger rides was "minimal" weeks before the event commenced, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui told Legco on Thursday.

The disclosure came as officials responded to lawmakers' concerns about the event, which was held earlier this month at the Central Harbourfront.

The festival ended in disappointment for many ticketholders when its main attraction—tethered hot air balloon rides—could not proceed due to safety concerns, ultimately leading to a full public refund .

Law detailed in her response the government's timeline of engagement with the event organizer, Grand Events Asia Limited.

She said following an initial on-site test on August 20 that revealed significant safety risks, including a reported incident of a balloon tilting, government departments had met with the organizer on August 27, where officials clearly stated that since the organizer could only conduct another test one or two days before the event's September 4 start date, approval for passenger rides would be "microscopic".

Law said the government had advised the organizer to announce the cancellation of the tethered ride as soon as possible.

The organizers proceeded with a final test on September 3, after which the government only granted permission for the balloons to be displayed on the ground, not for carrying passengers.

The event, which charged tickets ranging from HK$200 to HK$880, with an additional HK$580 for the flight experience, sparked public outcry when the rides were canceled.

The Consumer Council received hundreds of complaints, with the involved amount exceeding HK$340,000.

Lawmakers debate government's role in supporting events

In response to the incident, Roundtable lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun suggested establishing a dedicated government department to coordinate the approval and promotion of major events.

Law, addressing the concerns, said the government would consider providing written notifications after meetings with organizers in future.

This would create a clear record if an organizer decided to "try their luck" by proceeding with an event against official advice. She emphasized that strict government oversight should not be seen as an international "joke," but rather as a sign of Hong Kong's commitment to safety.

(Marco Lam)