Hong Kong Tourism Board gets permanent funding for flagship events
The Hong Kong Tourism Board will receive regularised annual funding for flagship events, allowing longer-term planning. The announcement was made at an HKTB reception highlighting Hong Kong's tourism achievements, including top hotel rankings and international culinary recognition.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board will have greater scope to plan ahead after additional annual funding for flagship events is regularised, Permanent Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Vivian Sum Fong-kwang said on 7 October.
Speaking at an HKTB reception celebrating achievements of Hong Kong's tourism and hotel industries, 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 recognised in international culinary rankings, while Hong Kong carrier Cathay Pacific ranked highly in global aviation ratings.
Sum said the achievements 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 regularised, giving the Tourism Board greater certainty to develop longer-term marketing strategies.
An annual mega-event framework will also be organised 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 travellers more reasons to return. He pointed to a series of upcoming events, including the Hong Kong Cyclothon on 11 October, 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 thanked the government, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Tourism Board for their support.