The Hong Kong Jockey Club marked its support for the 2026 Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum by hosting a high-profile closing banquet at Happy Valley Racecourse for guests. The evening featured the first-ever Tourism Cup, held in partnership with China Tourism Group to promote horse racing tourism and cement Hong Kong’s role as a global tourism destination.
The Forum, jointly organized by CTG, the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, and the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, welcomed more than 500 guests from Hong Kong, mainland and overseas.
Under the theme “Win-win Collaboration · Tech-Empowerment — Supporting Hong Kong in Consolidating its Position as a World-Class Premier Tourism Destination,” the event showcased the city’s commitment to international tourism.
HKJC chairman Martin Liao Cheung-kong praised the success of the Forum and welcomed guests to experience the vibrant atmosphere of Hong Kong’s renowned horse racing. He highlighted horse racing’s enduring popularity, calling it an iconic symbol and key tourism attraction for the city.
Since partnering with CTG last year, the Club has hosted nearly 11,000 high-end travelers at its racecourses. Over 350,000 tourists have attended so far for this season, marking a 94 percent increase from the previous year and underscoring the rising appeal of horse racing tourism.
The inaugural Tourism Cup race was won by Viva Firecracker, trained by Tony Cruz and ridden by jockey Karis Teetan.
The collaboration between HKJC and CTG was formalized last year to boost tourism, sports, cultural exchange, and youth development in the Greater Bay Area. The partnership includes promoting horse racing tourism by featuring HKJC’s Happy Valley, Sha Tin, and Conghua racecourses in CTG’s travel itineraries. Conghua is set to begin hosting regular race meetings from October.
