Festival seeks tourism bonanza in finer things in life

Hong Kong is set to host its inaugural Festival of Connoisseurs from November 4 to 6 at AsiaWorld-Expo, highlighting a range of luxury items like private jets, supercars, yachts, jewelry, exquisite art, rare wines, and gourmet cuisine. This high-end exhibition features Asia's first citywide model and will expand to prominent locations across the city next year.

The event, funded by Hong Kong's HK$100 million government initiative aimed at attracting large-scale international exhibitions with innovative concepts, aims to demonstrate Hong Kong's appeal as a platform for branded goods from mainland China and abroad. Commerce and Economic Development Secretary Algernon Yau expressed optimism that the event will showcase Hong Kong as a desirable destination for branded goods, potentially boosting the local economy.

Dan Ye, vice president of event organizer Informa Markets, anticipates around 3,000 high-end visitors during the soft launch in November, with attendance doubling at the full-scale launch the following year. The exhibition will not only take place at AsiaWorld-Expo but also at various iconic Hong Kong landmarks such as the M+ Museum in West Kowloon, the waterfront in Wan Chai, and Central.

Additionally, there are plans to explore yacht tours to different islands along Hong Kong's coastline. The long-term vision includes establishing a yacht show at Skytopia, a new waterfront entertainment and commercial landmark under development near the airport, which could become Asia's largest.