Hong Kong’s ‘Art March’ aims to bring dash of colour to local economy, with thousands expected to visit city for raft of events
- Hotel industry chief says events such as Art Basel and Art Central expected to boost occupancy rates of nearby hotels to 100 per cent
- Return of Art Basel occurs as city welcomes Asian debut of ComplexCon, which is expected to bring 30,000 patrons to sample street styles, fashionable footwear and food
Thousands of visitors from around the world are expected to flood into Hong Kong as a spate of high-profile events kicks off this month, ranging from annual fixtures such as Art Basel to new attractions that include the International Cultural Summit and ComplexCon.
The government said it planned to offer free tram rides and Star Ferry trips, as well as hand out ice cream, as part of a big promotional push for the events designed to attract more tourists.
This year is the first the government has grouped together a range of cultural events and programmes under the new “Art March” banner, and authorities have offered organisational and funding support over the period.
Caspar Tsui Ying-wai, executive director of the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners and a former government minister, said hotels close to events, such as those in Wan Chai near the venue for Art Basel, were likely to be fully booked.
“Hotel occupancy rates in other areas might be boosted, too,” he added. “If the hotels are in a popular area, the occupancy rate could be up to 90 per cent.
“If they are a little further, they might still achieve 85 per cent.”