The move is among a raft of events announced in the latest budget aimed at further boosting Hong Kong’s appeal to tourists after chalking up 12 percent more visitor arrivals in 2025.
Chan noted the success of the Immersive Light Show in Central featuring 3D light shows last year, saying that the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will launch a brand new show across various locations at different times of the year to replace A Symphony of Lights that has been staged at Victoria Harbour every night since 2004.
The board, he said, will get HK$1.66 billion for the coming year.
“The HKTB will scale up its flagship events and promotion, introducing new elements and extending event duration, and organise more signature festive events to highlight Hong Kong’s East-meets-West uniqueness,” Chan added.
High-end overnight visitors will be the city’s target, Chan said, and the city will lure them by stepping up promotions in potential markets, including mainland cities outside of Guangdong, as well as emerging markets such as Asean and the Middle East.
“We will also proactively promote the hosting of a wider range of conferences, exhibitions and incentive travel events in Hong Kong.”
The HKTB will continue to attract more international cruises to come to Hong Kong, Chan said, following a 26 percent increase in the number of ship calls to the SAR last year.
“We will continue strengthening co-operation with the GBA [Greater Bay Area] and other mainland provinces and municipalities, and exploring with airlines to offer multi-destination flight itineraries, so as to attract more overseas visitors to Hong Kong and the mainland,” he said.
As for historic buildings that Chan said embody the city culture, the government will earmark additional funding of HK$1 billion for the Built Heritage Conservation Fund’s work on revitalisation and maintenance works.
Chan also unveiled plans to construct a pedestrian walkway at the praya of Kennedy Town, and a public consultation will be carried out in the second quarter of this year.
Before that, a waterfront site near Hung Hom Station will open in phases this quarter, extending the harbourfront promenade in Kowloon to about 15 kilometres.
On urban-rural integration, Chan said that the administration plans to set aside HK$200 million to launch the Northern Metropolis Urban-rural Integration Fund as a pilot scheme.
“The scheme aims to encourage nonâgovernmental organisations and relevant bodies to take forward rural tourism projects and bring economic vitality to rural villages,” he said.
Edited by Thomas McAlinden
