Hong Kong has the reputation of being the events capital of Asia with an increasing number of live events being held in the city. The famous skyline, buzzing energy and the ease with which people can travel in and out makes it attractive for event organisers.
However, the limited number of harbourfront venues means the ones that are available are often booked far in advance, making it a tough challenge to secure a venue once you’ve found what you’re looking for. Moreover, the bureaucratic processes involved in trying to secure a venue complicates rather than facilitates the issue.
For some, these challenges have created opportunities for neighbouring cities like Singapore, Shanghai and Beijing where venues are more abundant and options more varied.
The ever-growing need for indoor and outdoor event space in Hong Kong creates a compelling justification for the creation of more venues offering varying capacities to accommodate a range of events. Various sites across the city, currently not utilised, are ideal as potential temporary sites for events but we need increased flexibility from the government to make these sites available.
By thinking outside the box and simplifying the land acquisition process, event production companies like ours will be able to create unique event experiences to showcase Hong Kong’s unparalleled offering. In order to maintain and strengthen Hong Kong’s reputation as the region’s events capital we need more events to be held here, we need more venue options for clients to choose from and we need the creative space to deliver exceptional experiences in our exceptional city.
David Rule is founding director of Serious Staging, www.serious-staging.com