Retailers report boost in foot traffic as ‘Night Vibes Hong Kong’ campaign gathers pace

Retailers have reported a boost in foot traffic during the first salvo of a campaign to revitalise Hong Kong’s nighttime economy, ahead of the launch of a market along the Wan Chai promenade on Wednesday.

The K11 Group, which operates the Tsim Sha Tsui shopping centre K11 Musea, on Tuesday said footfall from Friday to Sunday was up 30 per cent compared with the previous weekend due to the launch of “Night Market by the Sea”, a locally themed bazaar offering street food along the adjoining promenade, on September 22.

The company said it anticipated further growth as the night market, which will be held every Friday and Saturday until October 14, heads into the Mid-Autumn Festival and National Day holiday on October 1.

The event was one of the first to launch as part of the government’s “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign, aimed at invigorating the city’s night economy.

As for a night market along the Wan Chai promenade scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades president Simon Wong Ka-wo predicted the launch would have “no problems” given the enthusiasm of the sector.

“The government has arranged for a variety of vendors and performers to participate in the market, so I believe it will attract spending by the public,” he said.

The Fire Services Department announced last week it would “fully cooperate” with the government’s night activities campaign, and that open-fire cooking would be allowed at stalls provided the operators complied with protection requirements, such as providing extinguishers and installing barriers.