Mega-events held in Hong Kong in the first half of the year attracted around 550,000 tourists who collectively spent HK$2.4 billion (US$307.7 million), the government has said.
Rosanna Law Shuk-pui, the new secretary for culture, sports and tourism, said on Wednesday that 110 mega-events in the first six months of 2024 drew an estimated 550,000 tourists to “participate”.
“They brought around HK$2.4 billion of spending and a value add of about HK$1.4 billion,” she said in a written response to lawmakers’ questions.
Conventions and exhibitions accounted for the most events with 38, followed by cultural, arts and creative ones with 31, and 15 related to finance, economy, innovation and technology. Fourteen were sports events.
Law said mega-events bore strategic significance to the city’s development.
“Not only [do they] bring business opportunities and economic benefits to different industries, including hotel, catering, retail, transport, but [they] also generate positive publicity for Hong Kong in the globe to showcase the city’s position as a liberal cosmopolitan with rich cultural heritage,” she said.