The government wants to make Hong Kong an 'events capital' to draw tourists and boost consumer spending amid the recession. The city will 'add colour' to existing events and organise several major ones this year, the highlights of which will be the East Asian Games in December and the celebrations to mark the 60th anniversary of the People's Republic of China. Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen, who spoke after the third meeting of a government taskforce on the economy, also promised efforts to save jobs during the downturn. Apart from the Games and the anniversary celebrations, the city will host its first World of Food and Wine Festival, which the Tourism Board will organise in conjunction with the International Wine Fair. Meanwhile, the administration has compiled a list of vacant government sites across the city that NGOs may hire for short-term use. Mr Tsang said NGOs would be charged a nominal rent if the project they proposed was supported by the district council and relevant departments. Last month, Secretary for Development Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor told the Legislative Council that 1,000 sites had been identified for commercial or community purposes. Mathias Woo Yan-wai, a member of the economic taskforce and the executive director of experimental theatre group Zuni Icosahedron, suggested urban sites could be turned into weekend markets, while rural sites could be used as organic farms.
