Wong Wai-lun: Hong Kong to host at least 93 major events in the first half of next year, expected to bring in HK$3.3 billion in consumer spending.

The Hong Kong government has announced the list of major events in Hong Kong for the first half of next year. Hong Kong's Deputy Financial Secretary, Edmond Wong, said at a press conference that there will be at least 93 major events in the first half of next year, including 14 events carried over from this year, expected to attract 840,000 visitors, an increase of over 50% from last year. It is estimated that these events will generate HK$3.3 billion in consumer spending and HK$1.8 billion in economic value-added, representing a 40% and 30% increase respectively. These 93 events that will take place in the first half of 2025 can be roughly divided into five categories. The majority fall under the category of cultural, arts, and creative projects with 30 events; followed by conferences and exhibitions with 26 events; sports events with 15; and festivals, celebrations, performances, and carnivals with 12 events. There are also 10 events related to finance, economy, and innovation. Edmond Wong explained that, like this year, some events are still in the planning stages, but it is also necessary to respect the individual organizer's own marketing strategies and timing for announcement. Based on experience, the number of events held in the first half of 2025 is likely to exceed 93. The Hong Kong Tourism Board will continue to update the list of major events. One of the highlighted projects in the new list of events is the "Milken Institute Global Investors' Symposium", which was held in Hong Kong this year and will convene again in March next year to discuss how to address global financial challenges. Another flagship project, the "ASIA FINANCIAL Forum", will continue to be held in January next year, bringing together industry elites, business leaders, and government officials from around the world to exchange views on various economic and financial issues. In terms of conferences and exhibitions, some notable events include the "Consensus Hong Kong Conference 2025" in February, which is one of the largest and most influential conferences in the third generation of the Internet, blockchain, and digital asset fields, expected to attract over 8,000 attendees, with 6,000 coming from around the world. According to the latest estimates, Edmond Wong stated that in 2024, there will be over 240 major events throughout the year, attracting around 2 million visitors, a 17% increase from the previous estimate of 1.7 million visitors. These visitors are expected to contribute around HK$7.5 billion in consumer spending and HK$4.5 billion in economic value-added, an increase from the earlier estimates of HK$7.2 billion in consumer spending and approximately HK$4.3 billion in economic value-added.