Hong Kong's tourism chief said she envisions that Saturday’s grand opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park, the city's largest sports infrastructure, along with a series of mega-events in March and throughout the year, will drive the city’s tourist numbers up to 49 million this year, marking a 10 percent increase over last year.
At a press conference on the measures related to the city's 2025-26 Budget, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said that the sports park’s opening will herald the beginning of a “Hong Kong Super March”, during which a series of sports, cultural and arts events will take place.
These include the World Snooker Grand Prix 2025, the Hong Kong Sevens, and the highly anticipated return of LIV Golf Hong Kong. Other events scheduled for March include the Hong Kong Arts Festival, which opens on Friday, Art Basel and Art Central, and Entertainment Expo 2025.
READ MORE: 8,500 tickets for Kai Tak Sports Park opening go on sale Friday
Law said that, to capitalize on the momentum from the opening of the park, Hong Kong will make the most of measures such as the multiple-entry individual visit scheme for Shenzhen residents, and will seek to boost the city's culture, sports, and tourism sectors.
Law said that the city aims to attract more visitors and to stimulate the economy through a series of major events, notably the 15th National Games, the 12th National Games for Persons with Disabilities, and the 9th National Special Olympic Games.
Scheduled across cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) in November and December, these games will feature a total of 14 sports competitions and public activities hosted in Hong Kong. Law anticipates these events will draw over 100,000 attendees to the city.
To cover essential operational costs and staffing requirements for the games, the Culture, Sports, and Tourism Bureau's National Games coordination office will be granted around HK$700 million ($90 million) during 2025-26. Law gave assurances that government departments will efficiently utilize internal resources and existing funding streams to guarantee the successful organization of the games.
Law said the government is preparing the schedule for prominent events in the second half of the year, so that related sectors will have time to prepare to make the most of the business opportunities available and tourists can plan their trips well in advance.
She added that the government will adopt a more strategic approach to attracting cultural and sporting events that are expected to bring significant economic benefits to Hong Kong, and pledged to ensure there would be continuous investment in tourism development and plenty of support for flagship events, enabling them to attract sponsorship.
READ MORE: HK, mainland stars for Kai Tak Sports Park opening gala show
According to the 2025-26 Budget, which was released on Wednesday, the government has earmarked HK$1.23 billion for the Hong Kong Tourism Board to implement its latest development blueprint for Hong Kong’s tourism industry.
Kai Tak Sports Park’s opening ceremony, scheduled for Saturday at 6:30 pm in its 50,000-seat main stadium, will feature performances by elite athletes and artists from Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland. Those who plan to attend are advised to collect physical tickets early at the indoor Kai Tak Arena. Professional photography equipment, umbrellas longer than 35cm, and water bottles will not be permitted inside.
Police are encouraging attendees to make use of public transport to access the venue, as parking spaces at the Kai Tak Mall will not be accessible on Saturday.
Contact the writer at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com
