Hong Kong Works on Image Overhaul to Attract Overseas Visitors

Hong Kong's efforts to overhaul an image dented by years of turbulence and re-establish itself as an Asian events hub are starting to lure more international visitors beyond mainland China, the city's tourism chief said.

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HONG KONG -

Measures adopted by the Asian financial hub include revamping its dated taxi fleet and improving digital payment systems, Ms Rosanna Law, Hong Kong's Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, told Bloomberg TV in an interview.

The city is also doubling down on hosting major events to lure back the jet set, with a recent concert by Coldplay and a move by its annual Rugby Sevens tournament to a flashy new waterfront stadium.

"We need to rack our brain to find new attraction points so that people are willing to spend or find new reasons for people to stay that much longer," said Ms Law, who was appointed to the role in December 2024.

Visitor arrivals in the first quarter grew 9 per cent from the same period in 2024 to 12 million, while the number of non-mainland visitors surged by 18 per cent, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board. It was the biggest on-year quarterly growth in tourists since travel resumed in Hong Kong after the pandemic.