Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee will deliver his fourth Policy Address tomorrow (Sept. 17). The sports and cultural sectors expect the government to build on past successes, consolidating Hong Kong's status as a centre for international cultural exchange and allowing the city to steadily advance as Asia's premier events capital on its path towards internationalization and diversification.
The Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show, certified under the "M" Mark Events scheme, is set to return to Hong Kong next January.
Successful models of "sports + tourism"
Since the pandemic, the SAR government has been attracting major sports events to Hong Kong. This year, with the formal opening of the Kai Tak Sports Park and the continuous optimization of the "M" Mark Events, Hong Kong has not only continued to attract traditional sports events, but recent Policy Addresses have also introduced multiple sports development and reform measures. The significant emphasis on "Promoting Major International Sports Events" has been notably effective, successfully attracting a host of major sports events to Hong Kong.
This year, a total of 18 sports events have been designated as "M" Mark events. Among them, the Hong Kong Football Festival 2025 and the Volleyball Nations League Hong Kong 2025 were both critical and commercial successes, packing out the main stadium and the arena at Kai Tak, attracting a large number of tourists who came specifically to watch the games, becoming successful models of "sports + tourism".
In addition to traditional popular sports events, many new world-class sports events have chosen Hong Kong as their host in recent years. These include the LIV Golf event held in Hong Kong for two consecutive years, and the inaugural Longines Hong Kong International Horse Show, scheduled to take place in Hong Kong in 2025. Both have been awarded the "M" Mark certification by the Major Sports Events Committee under the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau. Furthermore, by mid-November, the AsiaWorld-Expo will host Hong Kong's first large-scale "M" Mark esports event, "BLAST Premier Rivals 2025", further advancing Hong Kong's role towards internationalization and diversification.
Mega-event tourism
The International Horse Show, which received "M" Mark certification earlier this year, is set to return to Hong Kong next January. Richard Ireland, Chief Executive Officer of the organiser Clarion Events Asia, stated that the "M" Mark designation signifies recognition of Hong Kong's major sports events and also provides valuable resources through the support programme for major sports events, serving as an important boost for promoting mega-event tourism.
The SAR government has actively promoted integrated development with Mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area (GBA) in recent years, leading to increasingly frequent exchanges and cooperation in sports, with the upcoming 15th National Games jointly hosted by Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macau being a prime example.
Ireland believes that the unique audience base and market appeal are precisely the reasons why Hong Kong stands out among Asian cities. He stated that Hong Kong serves as a gateway to the broad Asia-Pacific market, particularly the entire GBA market, where interest in equestrian sports and high-end lifestyle experiences is growing rapidly. This combination of tradition, reputation, and commercial opportunity makes Hong Kong the best choice.
He also pointed out that for brands and sponsors worldwide, Hong Kong attracts an international, affluent, and passionately engaged high-quality audience. For athletes and spectators, Hong Kong provides a world-class stage to enjoy the events.
Hong Kong possesses talent with experience in major sports events
Besides its ability to connect with the GBA and the wider Asian market, Hong Kong's unique geographical location, infrastructure, and cultural fusion are also among the key reasons organisers choose to return.
Whether for athletes or overseas spectators, they can enjoy the best experience through Hong Kong's modern transportation network, top-tier venues, and dining, art, and entertainment facilities. This is especially true for equestrian events, which demand higher standards for venues and transport facilities to ensure the safety and comfort of the horses and riders. Transporting top-tier horses from around the world requires meticulous planning, strict biosecurity measures, and coordination with international equestrian bodies.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Kwok Ching-hin; English Editor: Darius)
Journalist's View | Hardware requirements of sports industry
By Darius
Before the start of this year's NBL Finals, the Hong Kong Bulls basketball club encountered a problem: the team's home court, the Southorn Stadium, failed to meet the specifications required for the NBL playoffs, forcing them to relocate to Shenzhen for their games. Fortunately, upon reaching the Finals, the team managed to use the newly opened Kai Tak Arena for their first two home games. This finally gave Hong Kong fans a sigh of relief; how embarrassing it would have been for a Hong Kong club to be unable to play its Finals home games in Hong Kong!
But looking back, we should recognize the crucial role played by the newly opened Kai Tak Arena in this event, and indeed the entire Kai Tak Sports Park. Had it not been for this up-to-standard Arena, it's uncertain whether the Bulls could have hosted their home games in Hong Kong.
Since its official opening, the Kai Tak Sports Park has hosted countless sports and entertainment events, from world-renowned Coldplay concerts to matches featuring football giants like Liverpool, AC Milan, Arsenal, and Tottenham Hotspur, significantly enhancing Hong Kong's capacity in sports and cultural events. Now, from this Bulls incident, we can also see that the Kai Tak Sports Park is not only capable of "holding its own on the big stage" but can also provide a crucial "safety net" for the city in critical moments. Such hardware facilities are truly the best the city has ever had.
Although Hong Kong's sports atmosphere is quite excellent, it falls somewhat short of "professional" standards when it comes to hosting major sports events. Taking the Southorn Stadium as an example, a typical product of Hong Kong's old-school sports venue model, it can host local professional competitions while also serving as a public recreational facility. Simultaneously, the density of football pitches and basketball courts in Hong Kong is quite commendable; in the To Kwa Wan area alone, there are at least 4-5 outdoor basketball courts available for use.
However, the shortcomings of the Southorn Stadium's inadequate specifications were exposed in this incident, and outdoor basketball courts are clearly not within the professional realm. As the saying goes, "Literature for the poor, martial arts for the rich" – achieving a professional level in any sports field requires significant investment.
If you go near the Kai Tak Sports Park, you will see many people jogging; on outdoor courts amidst the concrete jungle, you can see people of all ages participating in sports; every Dragon Boat Festival, you can also see teams from various districts striving with all their might on the water. The sports spirit of Hong Kong people is already ingrained in their bones; what needs to be done now is to dress this steel frame in presentable clothing.
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