Hong Kong Tourism Board: Will continue to further develop IP, link with catering, retail and tourism, and implement "tourism everywhere".

On July 2, Stella Lo, Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, pointed out in response to questions from legislators that the Hong Kong SAR government will continue to support IP creation, construction, and collaboration with innovative thinking, combining technology, animation, performing arts, and film and television culture to attract more tourists to experience the local unique cultural connotations in Hong Kong. They also hope that the catering, retail, and tourism industries will make good use of IP projects to explore business opportunities together to implement the concept of "Everywhere is a tourist destination." Hong Kong has many attractions that attract tourists with local characteristics, such as Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park, the Peak Tram, the Hong Kong Observation Wheel, and Ngong Ping 360, all of which are IPs full of Hong Kong cultural characteristics. The Hong Kong Tourism Board and the Hong Kong Tourism Development Board are committed to leveraging these Hong Kong cultural IP elements and international image promotion for tourism. In 2024, Hong Kong will host over 240 major events, attracting around 2 million tourists, with the majority coming from mainland China and Southeast Asia, bringing in approximately HK$7.5 billion in consumption and HK$4.5 billion in economic value added. In 2025, Hong Kong will continue to host major events full of IP elements, such as the "CHIIKAWA DAYS" large-scale special exhibition, the opening of the CR7 LIFE Hong Kong Museum, the 2025 Animation Festival, and Hong Kong Fashion Extravaganza. Through attractive IP-themed activities, Hong Kong enriches tourists' travel and leisure experiences, stimulating consumption. The Hong Kong Tourism Board actively collaborates with event organizers to provide comprehensive support, including driving local tourism through activities. The Hong Kong Tourism Board also promotes tourism by promoting themed IPs at its flagship events. During the events, tourists and locals can purchase specially designed Hong Kong limited edition souvenirs at designated stores. In promoting tourism through movie IPs, the Hong Kong Tourism Board collaborated with film producers and related organizations to launch the "Walk into Hong Kong Walk into Hong Kong Cinema - The Kowloon Walled City Siege Film Exhibition," which was exhibited at Hong Kong International Airport and Kai Tak AIRSIDE in Kowloon City. The exhibition also featured movie-related merchandise stalls selling classic foods, nostalgic toys, and movie collectibles, creating business opportunities. The cultural and creative department also held a three-year "Kowloon Walled City Light and Shadow Tour" at Kowloon City Park, showcasing more movie scenes and local traditional craftsmanship to recreate the old look of the city. Since its opening in May this year, the exhibition has attracted more than 42,000 visitors in the first month, driving consumption in nearby catering and retail industries. In terms of theme parks, Hong Kong Disneyland continues to attract visitors with its rich IP features, launching unique facilities and activities, including the world's first and largest "Frozen" themed park and the upcoming "Marvel" themed new park, 20th-anniversary celebrations, new Disney themed entertainment experiences, and more. Additionally, Ocean Park takes advantage of being the location with the most pandas bred outside of mainland China, creating the panda trademark with outer appearance characteristics of the six pandas and launching related promotional activities, merchandise, cultural and creative products, electronic games, and tourism products with Hong Kong characteristics. Apart from widely using the panda IP in the park's social media content and products, the park will continue to use the IP for themed festivities, immersive experiences, light shows, themed performances, amusement facilities. The park will also continue to collaborate with different organizations to promote the IP. Furthermore, through the "Creative Smart Project," the Hong Kong Cultural and Creative Department has funded and promoted multiple IP projects that integrate local animation culture and tourism, including providing support for a two-year industry collaboration "Animation Sports Headquarters," showcasing 36 different local original animated characters with sports elements from different eras. Since its opening in July 2024, the project has attracted approximately 460,000 citizens and tourists. The Hong Kong Comic Walk of Fame, which features original Hong Kong comics, has attracted over 3 million visitors. The project will be strengthened and updated by the end of 2024, featuring 100 comic artists and a total of 76 local comic characters in painted sculptures such as "King Little Tiger," "Hua Hero and Bread Brother," and a 50-meter-long large-scale comic wall and interactive installations, attracting over 850,000 visitors in six months, with about 40% being visiting tourists. The annual Anime Festival brings together creators from Hong Kong, mainland China, and overseas, attracting about 250,000 visitors each year, including mainland and overseas tourists. The 2025 Anime Festival includes four projects: "Hong Kong International Toy Expo," "International Comic Artists Convention and Exhibition," "Comic Masters Meet Hong Kong," and "Hong Kong Comic Support Program Pavilion," showcasing over a hundred Hong Kong, mainland, and overseas toys and comic works, as well as hosting multiple comic master sharing sessions and workshops. The cultural and creative department will enhance promotion to attract mainland and overseas tourists. In terms of maintaining and strengthening IP protection, the Hong Kong SAR government continues to promote the development of local IPs (including cultural IPs), optimize the local IP system, ensure that the system keeps pace with the times, closely follows international development trends, and meets the needs of the Hong Kong economy, including implementing the "Copyright (Amendment) Ordinance 2022" to enhance digital environmental copyright protection, reviewing the local design registration system comprehensively, and planning to begin public consultation within this year. A sound IP protection system can encourage the sustainable development of Hong Kong's local cultural and creative industries, as well as help drive the related industry chains, including tourism, promoting economic development. The cultural and creative department actively supports cultural IP projects through the plan, including projects related to tourism, facilitating applications for IP protection for cultural and creative products, developing IP agreements, and managing IP portfolios to assist creators in exploring business opportunities. The Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department promotes respect for creativity and IP protection messages through the production and distribution of promotional materials and videos, and is committed to implementing the "Genuine Goods Promise" scheme and the "I Promise" initiative, promoting the sale and purchase of genuine goods to local retailers, visitors, and consumers. The "Genuine Goods Promise" scheme has been well-supported by local merchants over the years, with an average of over 1,500 retailers and 7,000 sales points/online stores participating each year.