Mega events inject vitality into HK's economy, says Paul Chan

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po stated that consecutive mega events across various fields last week leveraged synergistic effects to inject momentum into the city's economy.

In a blog post published on Sunday, Chan pointed out that events such as investment summits, financial forums, and lifestyle exhibitions have not only attracted large crowds but also generated significant business opportunities for Hong Kong.

He singled out a major luxury lifestyle festival, noting that it expanded Hong Kong's roles as a “super-connector” and “super-value-adder” from finance and trade into new lifestyle and experiential sectors.

Chan cited data from last year, revealing that the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and AsiaWorld-Expo hosted more than 360 events, drawing 2.51 million visitors—a 7 percent year-on-year increase. Of these, around 60 percent were overnight tourists.

Industry research, Chan added, shows that international exhibition visitors spend an average of HK$9,300 per person, about 70 percent more than the typical overnight tourist.

Chan said the government plans to move forward with the second phase of AsiaWorld-Expo’s development and the redevelopment of Wan Chai North, which will increase the city’s convention and exhibition space by over 40 percent.

𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗔𝗽𝗽 ↓