The government on Wednesday said that mega events in the first half of the year had attracted an estimated 550,000 visitors, who spent around HK$2.4 billion and added about HK$1.4 billion in value to the economy. In a written reply to the legislature, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Rosanna Law said there were 110 mega events in the first six months of 2024. Nearly 70 of them were conventions and exhibitions as well as cultural, arts and creative events. Business and Professionals Alliance lawmaker, Jeffrey Lam, asked the government how it could further enhance the attractiveness of mega-events and boost their economic benefits. Law said one of the administration's key purposes of compiling a Hong Kong mega event calendar in advance, is to allow the public and tourists to learn about them early. "[This can] foster collaboration between different industries and mega events, and facilitate the industries of tourism, hotel and catering to plan and design promotional activities and tourism products early," she wrote. The minister said RTHK had produced a programme called "Mega Events Mega Hong Kong", which gives daily updates on what's happening through different media platforms. Meanwhile, the Information Services Department has used its website and social media platforms, such as Xiaohongshu, for promotion, while inviting media from the mainland and overseas to cover the city's mega events. Law said with HK$100 million in this year's budget earmarked for boosting mega-event promotion over the next three years, officials will review and optimise resources to enhance publicity efforts, bearing in mind ongoing developments and mega-event planning updates.
