HKTB to plan further ahead as flagship event funding becomes permanent

The Hong Kong Tourism Board will have greater scope to plan ahead after additional annual funding for flagship events is regularized, Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Vivian Sum Fong-kwang said on Wednesday.

Her remarks came at an HKTB reception celebrating the achievements of Hong Kong’s tourism and hotel industries on the international stage.

Speaking at the event, Sum highlighted the inclusion of five Hong Kong hotels in this year’s The World’s 50 Best Hotels list, with Rosewood Hong Kong taking the top spot for a second consecutive year.

Several local restaurants and bars were also recognized in international culinary rankings, while Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific ranked highly in global aviation ratings.

Sum said the achievements were not coincidental, but reflected the industry’s sustained pursuit of quality and reinforced Hong Kong’s position as a leading international tourism destination.

As set out in the latest Policy Address, additional annual funding for flagship events will be regularized, giving the Tourism Board greater certainty to develop longer-term marketing strategies, she said.

An annual mega-event framework will also be organized around three themes: the International Arts Season from February to May, the Chinese Arts Season from June to September, and the Festive Mega Events Season from October to the following February.

Sum said the aim was to encourage visitors to stay longer and spend more across the tourism and hospitality sectors.

HKTB chairman Peter Lam Kin-ngok said changing visitor expectations and increasingly intense regional competition were pushing the industry to improve its offerings and work more closely together to give travelers more reasons to return.

He pointed to a series of upcoming events, including the Hong Kong Cyclothon on Sunday, followed by Hong Kong Halloween Month and the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival.

Sonia Cheng Chi-man, chief executive of Rosewood Hotel Group, credited the industry’s tens of thousands of workers for its international recognition and called for sustained investment in young talent.

“After all, people make the place,” Cheng said, adding that genuine human connections and cultural exchange remained at the heart of hospitality.

She also thanked the government, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Tourism Board for their support, saying she hoped the industry could continue telling Hong Kong’s stories together.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓