Details of ‘Night Vibes Hong Kong’ campaign unveiled

The Hong Kong government has revealed the details and upcoming promotional activities as part of the “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign, which is designed to promote the city's nightlife and boost local economy. This has also caused a fair bit of chatter among HongKongers.

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Speaking at a launch ceremony on Thursday (14 September), Hong Kong's finance chief Paul Chan (pictured) said the campaign would start from around the Mid-Autumn Festival later this month, running across National Day, Halloween, Christmas and New Year until early 2024. 

As part of the campaign, the Hong Kong Jockey Club (HKJC) and MTR Corporation have contributed their efforts in promoting the city's night economy, such as launching a free Wednesday night at Happy Valley Racecourse for the public, and offering commuters a domestic single ride for every five-night ride after 10.30pm.

Meanwhile, local cinemas will offer ticket discounts for night-time screenings including Golden Harvest and Broadway Circuit. Museums such as Hong Kong Museum of Art, the Hong Kong Science Museum and the Hong Kong Space Museum will extend opening hours until 10pm from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays. M+, the West Kowloon Cultural District will also offer night tours and various art and cultural activities.

To provide a diversified leisure experience for consumers, over 80 shopping malls will organise various cultural and sports events and outdoor night markets, provide dining and consumption offers, and extend their opening hours in light of the night-time activities. More than 100 Lan Kwai Fong Association members' restaurants and bars will also provide dining offers. 

Hong Kong property developers such as Sun Hung Kai Properties, Hang Lung Properties, New World Development and Sino Group are supportive towards the government's plan of introducing night markets to boost local economy. Meanwhile, a series of events will take place on harbourfront sites, including performances, cultural events, markets and guided tours. Ocean Park and Disneyland will also offer night shows and Halloween events.

Mixed reactions drawn from netizens

However, the updates of the campaign have drawn mixed reactions across social platforms. According to media intelligence firm CARMA, there have been over 4,000 mentions related to "Night Vibes Hong Kong" across various media platforms over the past 24 hours. Of the coverage, 13.2% of mentions were positive, while 26.1% were negative. Netizens have taken to various social media platforms to express their opinions, with many indicating their concerns about traffic arrangements. 

CARMA's Hong Kong GM Charles Cheung said: “Many individuals expressed concerns about potential traffic congestion resulting from the campaign, with some even suggesting that they would avoid going out after 8pm to avoid the traffic. Additionally, several netizens have pointed out that the MTR promotion associated with the event is not compelling enough to attract a larger crowd.”

Cheung added that some netizens have questioned whether the campaign, despite its aim to encourage people to stay out at night, would genuinely contribute to the overall economic growth and revitalisation of the city.

On the other hand, social monitoring firm Meltwater saw 24.6% positive, 4.4% negative and 71.1% neutral sentiments regarding the launch of “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign. Keywords associated with the campaign now include the phrases “night markets", "amounts of spending” and “night economy”. 

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