Tourism board hopes HK$23 million art display will light up city’s visitor numbers over holiday season
- Show will feature 18 art installations from 11 countries, while showcasing work of four local designers
Hong Kong is to throw a HK$23 million light festival to celebrate the holiday season in a bid the attract more tourists to the city.
The Pulse Light Festival, featuring 18 art installations with LED lights, will illuminate the heart of Hong Kong between November 29 and February 24.
“This is the biggest show in scale and investment terms to date for the festive season,” he said. “We have one to two security guards monitoring each piece of art work, and are confident that visitors will relax at the festival and will not damage the display.”
The photogenic show is a centrepiece for Hong Kong’s tourism, as there were 9.5 per cent more people visiting the city in the first nine months of this year at 46.68 million. For the full year, the number is expected to exceed 60 million people.
Three out of every four visitors come from mainland China.
The 2018 festival season is not without concern in the wake of the continuous strength of the Hong Kong dollar against yuan, and the trade war between the United States and China.
“Overseas visitors favour Hong Kong’s night scene,” Lau said.
Trade war hits Hong Kong tourism as weaker yuan slows number of visitors from across the border
Among the light show’s highlights are three interactive installations, which includes a Dutch-designed bicycle under two crossing arches installed with thousands of LED lights. When a visitor rides the bicycle, light will spread to the middle of the arches.
There are two other interactive features, involving an illuminated horse and a lighting-linked piano.
The installations come from 11 countries such as France, Italy, Japan, Israel, Singapore, the US and India. There are four installations from Hong Kong designers.
