Hong Kong’s John Lee urges businesses to be bold, creative amid changing spending habits

Hong Kong’s leader brushes off concerns over lacklustre Easter break for businesses, cites high attendance for events during city’s ‘Art March’ campaign last month

But industry leaders say government must also do its part to attract spending

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Retailers and restaurateurs struggled to attract customers over the recent Easter break. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 3:52pm, 9 Apr 2024Updated: 7:21pm, 9 Apr 2024

Hong Kong businesses must be bold and creative enough to adapt to changing consumption and travel patterns, the city’s leader has said, brushing off concerns that the local economy had struggled during the Easter holiday.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu also said on Tuesday that various events held under the “Art March” campaign last month drew more than 4 million attendees, as he urged business operators to explore new ways to attract customers.

“The consumption patterns of residents and visitors have changed. A lot of tourists are no longer only here for shopping,” he said.

“I am very happy to see many industries, which include tourism, food and beverages, and retail operators, clearly understand and bravely embrace these changes.

“They have changed their operational and service focus, or even added new ways of attracting people.”

Hong Kong’s leader has cited the increased turnout for events such as the Sevens as a sign of the city’s vibrant economy. Photo: Eugene Lee

Hong Kong’s retail and catering sectors experienced a lacklustre Easter holiday as the city recorded an outflow of 1.7 million people. Only about 400,000 tourists came over from mainland China and abroad during the four-day break.