$1.4bn Convention Fund, Mega Events To Draw Visitors

The government will pump $1.4 billion into a scheme to support exhibitions and set up what's been dubbed a Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund as it seeks to bring major events back and re-establish Hong Kong as the region's premier travel destination, Chief Executive John Lee revealed in his Policy Address on Wednesday.

Lee told lawmakers that the funding for the convention and exhibition industry would subsidise the staging of some 200 exhibitions in the SAR over three years. It will take effect at the conclusion of the existing Convention and Exhibition Industry Subsidy Scheme, set up in 2020 to support the sector through the pandemic, which has been extented to June next year.

The CE also confirmed that, "to consolidate Hong Kong's status as a premier venue for large-scale international C&E activities", his administration would proceed with the expansion of the AsiaWorld-Expo convention centre, as well as pressing ahead with work at Wan Chai North near the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

He said the two projects would "substantially increase large-scale C&E spaces", adding that supporting the convention sector would enable local small- and medium-sized enterprises to attract more orders from overseas.

He told lawmakers that the Hong Kong Tourism Board would step up support for the meetings, incentive travels, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) sector, "in light of the epidemic development so as to attract more high value-added overnight visitors to Hong Kong".

On the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Fund, Lee said it would "promote the staging of more international arts and cultural events in Hong Kong, taking into account the views of the Mega Arts and Cultural Events Committee which will include industry personnel."

He said the administration would foster arts and cultural collaboration with the mainland, including organising a Greater Bay Area Culture and Arts Festival in 2024, as well as events such as the annual Hong Kong Week and Chinese Opera Festival.

Lee said the government wanted to "promote Hong Kong's pop culture to go global" and would work to enhance the capacity of the industry in three areas: film, television and streaming. The government's CreateHK unit will support collaboration between local production teams from the mainland and elsewhere in Asia.

"The government also plans to collaborate with industry practitioners to organise an annual Pop Culture Festival and explores the feasibility of setting up a Pop Culture Centre in the long term," Lee said.

Lee also said he planned to enhance the Hong Kong "M" Mark System to support the hosting of at least 10 major international sports events annually, with a view to further promoting the territory as a centre for mega international sports events.

The "M" Mark System provides official support for major events such as the marathon, the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens and golf's Hong Kong Open.

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