Economist Simon Lee Siu-po said the government needed to find more “international” faces, or even a mascot, to lure global audiences back to the city.

“Hong Kong needs an international ambassador,” said Lee, honorary fellow at Chinese University’s Asia-Pacific Institute of Business.

Having such a figure would serve as a “starting point of attraction” that would entice global brands and audiences to the city at a time when it was struggling to woo international visitors, he said.

Dior fashion show and ‘Chubby Hearts’ among events coming to Hong Kong

Lee noted that trade shows and conferences, while important, often catered to “narrow” audiences, whereas musical and sporting events could draw in global crowds and raise the city’s profile.

“We need to build some momentum,” he said.

Nightlife tycoon Allan Zeman said that while trade shows and conferences drew businesses, music performances and sporting events were what kept “Hong Kong’s name on the road map as a great city”.

Zeman, founder of the popular Lan Kwai Fong nightlife district, said the main issue impeding the city’s ability to bring in international acts was a lack of adequate venues, which had turned away “almost all” promoters.

When Taylor Swift performs six shows in Singapore in early March as part of her Eras tour, it will be at the 55,000-capacity National Stadium. Hong Kong’s AsiaWorld-Expo Arena, by comparison, holds just 14,000.

Hong Kong to attract more top acts such as Taylor Swift, Beyoncé: tourism chief

But Zeman pinned some hope on the long-delayed Kai Tak Sports Park. The centrepiece of the HK$30 billion development is a 50,000-seat stadium that is set to open later this year.

“Kai Tak will be a game-changer for Hong Kong,” he said.

Both Lee and Zeman sit on the tourism strategy committee, recently established to advise the government on further development of the industry.

Deputy Financial Secretary Michael Wong Wai-lun on Friday announced that the city would organise more than 80 mega events in the first half of the year. He also promised that the government would take a proactive approach to attract and host world events related to arts and culture, as well as shopping and dining.

Sixteen sports competitions, 25 trade shows, financial summits and cultural events are among the 80.

Many of the events are held annually including Art Basel, the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament and the International Dragon Boat Races.

Among the new events are a Dior fashion show and ComplexCon pop art festival in March. A giant inflatable “Chubby Hearts” art installation will float above Statue Square in Central next month. Another three hearts, each measuring three metres, will pop up at various sites including the Flower Market in Mong Kok, Lam Tsuen in Tai Po and Kennedy Town.

Hong Kong’s Lunar New Year fireworks to return after 4-year break

The government estimates that for every 1.5 million tourists, 0.1 per cent growth in gross domestic product can be generated. The city recorded 34 million tourist arrivals last year, or 65 per cent of pre-Covid levels in 2019.

Lawmaker Johnny Ng Kit-chung, who sits on the Legislative Council’s culture panel, said the government needed more coordinated efforts when planning its mega-events calendar, which currently felt scattered.

“I noticed in Singapore, if the F1 Grand Prix is held that weekend, there will be financial forums or family office summits held during the week so those who are in town for the business events will stay behind,” he said.

Ng said trade shows could take the lead in attracting business travellers first and he believed tourists would follow suit.

Vera Yuen Wing-han, a political economy lecturer at the University of Hong Kong, said the list of events announced on Friday was made up mostly of arts, sporting or trade events that had been held previously. She expressed disappointment over the time taken by the government to help the tourism industry rebound.

“If they are just doing what they used to do, how can they expect to see any added value? The government needs to be clearer about Hong Kong’s strategy and positioning and focus on attracting overseas visitors they lost during the pandemic,” Yuen said.

She added many of these overseas visitors, who would often spend days in the city and stayed in hotels, hence benefiting the local economy, were the high-value tourists the government should target.

Legislator Doreen Kong Yuk-foon said differentiating between mega-events and large-scale activities was crucial.

Hong Kong tourism numbers forecast to return to pre-Covid level by end-2025

She pointed to studies that said mega events could attract attention from the international community and media and bring in a large number of foreign tourists, creating a great impact on the local population, environment and economy.

Kong urged the government to focus on the quality of events rather than quantity.

“It is not a matter of quantity. Which city will organise mega events constantly?” she said.

“Mega events require thorough planning, understanding and support from the public and a large amount of money. It is difficult to showcase the charisma of Hong Kong if we are simply hosting ordinary tourism events.”

Additional reporting by Sammy Heung