Monthly sky shows, other tourism boosters in 'color of dawn' budget

The administration is considering holding monthly fireworks and drone shows above Victoria Harbour that are expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars, according to sources.

It came ahead of the budget speech on Wednesday, with boosting the economy a primary focus of Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po.

Chan revealed his apricot-color cover for the budget, which Chan says signifies the "color of dawn" as he hopes the economy and business environment gradually improve.

Chan will unveil major projects supporting the tourism sector to amplify inbound travel, sources told Sing Tao Daily, sister paper of The Standard.

"The government plans to hold fireworks and drone shows every month above Victoria Harbour, costing the government hundreds of millions of dollars," sources said.

It is understood that the Hong Kong Tourism Board will host themed activities, including city walks, night jogs and cycling, to attract various groups.

Sources said the board will also re-design the daily 10-minute "A Symphony of Lights" show by the harbor as it has not been updated since 2017.

However, the new show will not be launched any time soon as authorities still have to plan and discuss the buildings' participation.

Nowadays, tourists prefer in-depth and cultural experiences instead of the mere promotion of restaurants and sightseeing spots, sources noted, adding authorities may invite social media influencers to attract tourists.

They added the Development Bureau will introduce more catering and entertainment elements to the harborfront.

Lawmaker Frankie Ngan Man-yu said the administration should set up more restaurants and eateries by the harbor to provide variety and dynamism. Ngan said restaurants at Causeway Bay Typhoon Shelter and Kwun Tong Promenade have received many customers, helping retain tourists longer.

On his blog, Chan admitted that many uncertainties have slowed economic growth, including tense geopolitical situations and high interest rates.

It is estimated that the city will have back-to-back megabillion deficits - more than HK$100 billion deficit this year and HK$122.3 billion last year.

The administration will work on how to be more focused and efficient in using limited public resources, he said.

Meanwhile, nearly 90 percent of Hongkongers agree to cut government expenditure rather than increasing its revenue, while more than 70 percent called for electricity subsidies, a survey showed.

Hong Kong Research Association surveyed 1,056 residents this month and found 47 percent are worried about the financial stability of the government - up by 24 percent from last year.

Over 80 percent agreed the government should reduce its recurrent expenditure by 1 percent and more than half said it should maintain zero growth in the civil service establishment.

The association suggested that the government should balance the short-term needs of Hongkongers to ease their living pressure and the long-term development needs of society.

It also said the administration should provide financial support to events and policies that can increase the city's competitiveness.