Hong Kong retail landlords spice up festive weekends with rebates, live events as easier social-distancing rules lure shoppers back to malls

More than HK$12 million worth of rebates and promotions are being lined up to help boost sales for tenants in the coming months

Measures could help lift the gloom in local retail industry after 19 months of sales slumps

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Shopping centres try their best to boost footfall and sales amid a retail downturn. Photo: Handout

Published: 1:36pm, 1 Oct 2020Updated: 10:03pm, 1 Oct 2020

Hong Kong retail landlords are relishing the chance to fire up sales this holiday season with a new round of incentives to complement online promotions as easier social-distancing rules bring shoppers back to malls.

Sun Hung Kai Properties, the biggest developer by market value, and peers including Sino Group and Lawsgroup are offering at least HK$12 million (US$1.5 million) in rebates, cash coupons and lucky draws to rejuvenate sales for their tenants, company officials said.

Some 18,000 sq ft of space has also been allocated to an entertainment outlet operator to spice up the shopping experience as the city looks forward to busier weekends ahead after months of gloom caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We understand the past few months have been very challenging for many sectors, not least the catering industry,” said Cris Fung, retail marketing and customer relations general manager of the leasing department at SHKP. “We had earlier set up takeaway hotlines and developed an online food ordering and payment platform, which will be a win-win for both our tenants and customers.”

The efforts come with Hong Kong in a festive Mid-Autumn holiday mood, just days after the government declared that the third wave of Covid-19 cases was under control. Museums, karaoke bars and other entertainment outlets were allowed to reopen from September 18.