Paul Chan: Making Hong Kong's high-value-added tourism and convention and exhibition industries flourish

Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said in a blog post on the 8th that Hong Kong has recently hosted a continuous stream of mega events, attracting industry leaders and visitors from around the world to the city and injecting notable momentum into the local economy. Hong Kong will continue to vigorously promote mega events across different sectors and enhance supporting facilities, so that the development of high-value-added tourism and the convention and exhibition industry can flourish further. Paul Chan Mo-po pointed out that Hong Kong's economy grew 5.2% year on year in the third quarter of this year, and 5.1% for the first three quarters combined, the fastest growth for the same period in five years. Looking at October alone, visitor arrivals to Hong Kong rose 11.8% year on year; total retail sales value increased 6.4% in September, and total restaurant receipts rose 3.1% in the third quarter. The recent bustling atmosphere can be felt just by walking the streets: it is not easy to book a table at many restaurants in popular districts, and traffic in the core business district has also become congested. Paul Chan Mo-po also said that Phase 2 of AsiaWorld-Expo is expected to be completed in 2028, adding a multipurpose venue with a capacity of about 20,000 people; the Wan Chai North redevelopment project is also being pushed forward at full speed. Once the two projects are completed, Hong Kong's large-scale convention and exhibition space will increase by more than 40%, providing a broader stage for different organisers to realise more new ideas. The Hong Kong Tourism Board will also continue to work with the industry and various organisations to design more distinctive experiences and services tailored for high-value-added visitors. Paul Chan Mo-po said that in the next two months, Hong Kong will continue to host a steady stream of mega events. The Hong Kong Tourism Board's "Hong Kong WinterFest" will kick off this month, and in addition, Clockenflap music and arts festival, international badminton events at Kai Tak Sports Park and multiple large-scale concerts, as well as New Year's Eve countdown activities, will follow one after another, delivering a grand finale for 2026.