To be Asia’s events capital, Hong Kong must offer ticketing that works

Hong Kong aims to become Asia's premier events location, but faces challenges attracting international tours. Only 21.1% of Western tours include Hong Kong among their stops, compared to 49.5% for Singapore and 74.7% for Tokyo. Concerts by popular artists generate significant economic benefits, but Hong Kong's ticketing system is flawed.

Fraud, bots, scalping and unclear information have frustrated fans and organizers alike. Police recorded a 61.8% increase in concert ticket fraud cases last year. Fans face frustration when tickets sell out instantly, only to resurface at much higher prices. Second-hand tickets can be unreliable. Hong Kong's maximum fine for ticket resale offenses is over 70 years old and rarely enforced.

Major venues run by the government, such as the Coliseum, fall outside these regulations. Overseas visitors must decide whether to risk their travel plans based on uncertain ticket availability. This ticket market dysfunction hurts more than just fans, affecting artists and organizers as well. The government must take the lead in reforming the system, setting clear ticket allocation and providing transparency.

Venue operators should also be held accountable for ticketing failures. While scarcity is inevitable, the government can make the ticketing process fairer and more trustworthy through targeted reforms.