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A major campaign to revitalise Hong Kong’s night economy must be affordable not only for tourists but to counter a recent holiday trend of residents heading across the border, industry leaders on Thursday said.
Authorities would announce the new “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign next week to boost the nightlife scene in the city between the Mid-Autumn Festival in late September and Lunar New Year in February, the Post learned earlier.
An insider on Wednesday said the campaign would feature a night bazaar on the Wan Chai promenade at Victoria Harbour where light meals and snacks such as dried food would be offered, adding special activities would also be organised at the Lan Kwai Fong entertainment district, Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland. It was understood that various shopping centres would also participate in the drive.
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Allen Shi Lop-tak, president of the Chinese Manufacturers’ Association, said he was optimistic that the events would encourage Hongkongers to spend more in the city amid a recent trend of residents heading across the border for cheaper options.
“I believe residents will be keen to spend time here if the events are interesting enough and different from those in mainland China,” he told a radio show on Thursday. “They will not be interested at all if we adopt the same old approach.”
Shi said hosting the night bazaars at the Wan Chai promenade was a good idea given its sea view and convenient location, suggesting transport discounts should also be offered to make the plan more successful.
‘Night Vibes Hong Kong’ campaign aims to inject some energy into economy
He called on authorities to strengthen cooperation among different departments to ensure a smooth campaign by opening pedestrian-only areas, offering free parking spaces and addressing potential complaints over night and sound pollution.
Shi said he also hoped free or discounted food could be offered to increase foot traffic after sunset.
But he admitted that a staff crunch in the retail and catering industries remained a “pain point” for businesses which had prevented them from extending their opening hours, adding he hoped the labour import scheme introduced by the government as well as technology could help ease the crisis.
Official data showed that Hong Kong residents made 4.68 million trips to the mainland in July alone, an increase of 210,000 compared with the previous month.
More than 22.4 million visits, or about 900,000 every week, had been made to Shenzhen through six land border crossings by late July since the mainland and Hong Kong resumed quarantine-free travel on February 6.
Chow Chun-yu, president of the Hong Kong Licensed Massage Association, said the industry was struggling to survive as residents chose to splash their cash across the border instead. He said he hoped activities offered through the campaign would be affordable for locals to counter the trend.
Chow explained his business had only reached one-third of levels recorded during the pandemic and that it would be difficult for the sector to compete with the mainland if the government did not do more to boost the night economy.
“If spending across the border became a regular habit, we are doomed,” Chow told the same radio show.
He said that mainland businesses were able to offer cheap options and a wide variety of services, which fit the needs of Hongkongers who were struggling amid a sluggish economy.
“To attract Hongkongers to spend in the city, the events should be affordable, not high-end,” he said. “I believe more night traffic will to some extent benefit the massage parlour businesses as well.”
‘Create a mood’: Hong Kong hopes to turn night markets into magnets with bazaars
Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, said he hoped the nightlife campaign could be a regular long-term initiative and become a tourist attraction.
“The food bazaars of the ‘Hello Hong Kong’ campaign did not go quite well. It will be better if the [nightlife campaign] can last longer in certain areas, say the typhoon shelter precinct in Causeway Bay,” he said, referring to the government’s earlier global promotional drive to entice visitors, which included giving out free airline tickets.
“Variety is also important to maintain freshness … Perhaps some concerts and arts events could draw more traffic and create synergy with the food bazaars,” he said.
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