Hong Kong will continue to promote major events and improve facilities to attract higher-spending visitors and support its convention and exhibition industry, Financial Secretary Paul Chan has said.
Writing in his weekly blog on 8 November, Chan said the city had hosted a series of financial conferences and international exhibitions in the previous week. He said the events brought visitors and business opportunities to Hong Kong.
Among them was the first Festival of Connoisseurs, a three-day luxury lifestyle exhibition at AsiaWorld-Expo featuring yachts, supercars and jewellery. Chan said it attracted more than 3,000 visitors from around the world, according to RTHK.
Exhibition visitors spend more, research suggests
Chan cited industry research estimating that visitors to international exhibitions spend an average of HK$9,300 per person, around 70 per cent more than a typical overnight visitor.
The same research estimated that the exhibition industry contributed more than HK$50 billion to Hong Kong’s economy in 2024 and generated around 67,000 full-time jobs, RTHK reported. These are industry estimates cited by Chan.
The government has earmarked HK$100 million in the 2026–27 Budget to attract high-quality major international exhibitions. The Festival of Connoisseurs was the first event to receive funding under the initiative, according to news.gov.hk.
More space planned for major events
Chan said the second phase of AsiaWorld-Expo and the redevelopment of Wan Chai North would together increase Hong Kong’s large-scale convention and exhibition space by more than 40 per cent once completed.
The AsiaWorld-Expo expansion is expected to be completed in 2028 and will add a multipurpose venue with capacity for around 20,000 people. The increase in exhibition space depends on both projects being completed; it is not an increase already in place. Source
Chan also said the Hong Kong Tourism Board would continue working with the industry and other organisations to develop distinctive experiences and services for higher-spending visitors.
