Our Hong Kong Foundation (OHKF) released a policy advocacy report titled “Breaking Boundaries to Develop Hong Kong into a Mega Sports Events Capital”. With Hong Kong athletes breaking records on the international stage, increasing attention has been put on sports development in Hong Kong. With the imminent opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park and the joint hosting of the 15th National Games by Guangdong, Hong Kong and Macau, Hong Kong should capitalise on the momentum and propel the development of the sports industry through sports events. Sports tourism, a new global trend with an estimated annual growth rate reaching 17.5% between 2023 and 2030, can also bring significant social and economic benefits to Hong Kong.

OHKF conducted in-depth interviews with more than 50 stakeholders and drew upon experiences from other regions to understand the challenges faced in organizing major sports events in Hong Kong. The report will focus on three aspects: i) supporting the bidding and planning of sports events, ii) enhancing sports infrastructure, and iii) promoting sports entertainment, and puts forward 12 policy recommendations to promote the development of mega sports events economy in Hong Kong.

The policy report will cover the following questions: 

• How to effectively bid and plan sports events?

• How to ensure that Hong Kong has sufficient sports infrastructure that meets international standards and, thus, develop the city into an attractive location for hosting sports events?

• How to integrate sports and entertainment to effectively promote the development of retail, F&B, and creative industries?