Can consumption vouchers do the trick?

The administration should issue night-time consumption vouchers to Hongkongers and bear half the cost of the bills, a catering veteran proposed.

Institution of Dining Art chairman Simon Wong Kit-lung said the night-time vouchers can be used for local consumption from 6pm to 2am on weekdays and all day during weekends and public holidays to boost night economy.

However, the vouchers cannot be used online and outbound travels, said Wong, who chairs LH Group which operates restaurant chains Gyu-Kaku and On-Yasai, on Facebook yesterday.

"The purpose of the night-time voucher is easy and clear, which is to encourage people to dine out, watch a movie and go shopping after work before returning home to boost night economy," he said.

"The government can also offer 50 percent off consumption vouchers, meaning the authorities help citizens pay half of their bills."

But web users said the night-time consumption vouchers cannot be introduced without supportive measures, including extending public transport hours.

"Many buses are running less frequently after 8pm or 9pm and people have to wait for 15 minutes for the bus. The authorities should enhance transport support [for the night markets]," the web user said.

Another said he supports the plan to hold night markets, but night-time vouchers would be unfair to those working at night and elderly citizens.

"Night consumption is for entertainment, and if people have no intention for entertainment, [the authorities] have to encourage them to go outside through other means," he said. "The consumption voucher can only attract a few hundred people to go outside but gives an excuse for landlords to raise the rent for stores. People will also stop coming out after the vouchers are used up, which makes it a short-sighted and ineffective approach."

Another commenter said merchants will only hike prices leading to inflation.

Audit firm PwC's Asia Pacific, mainland and Hong Kong consumer markets leader Michael Cheng Woon-yin said the night-time consumption voucher will not be helpful. "People don't like to spend money during the day, will they do it at night?" he said.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com