Singing along to revive the HK brand

Revving up Hong Kong's concert economy will help struggling tourism business and hark back to the city's pop culture glory days. Zhang Tianyuan reports from Hong Kong.

Hong Kong basked in the golden era of Cantopop in the 1980s - when luminaries like Leslie Cheung Kwok-wing, Alan Tam Wing-lun and Anita Mui Yim-fong staged scores of concerts at the Hong Kong Coliseum - punching above its weight in transforming live music into a multibillion-dollar business.

The once-lucrative concert business is now back in the spotlight, capturing the public's attention as to whether it could reignite the city's beleaguered tourism industry. Total tourist arrivals last year, despite having made a slight recovery in the aftermath of COVID-19, are still just a fraction of what they were before the pandemic.

Hosting large-scale events and wooing international visitors top the city's agenda to return the local economy to robust growth as the special administrative region government reported economic growth of 3.2 percent in 2023, following a contraction of 3.7 percent in 2022.

Music industry players suggest that, besides the Hong Kong Coliseum, the SAR's outdoor performance venue - the Central Harbourfront Event Space - could become a new cultural icon in wooing visitors.

"Music tourism is essential for Hong Kong's tourism development. Major concerts will attract affluent young tourists with high spending power," says Song Haiyan, associate dean and chair professor at the School of Hotel and Tourism Management of the Hong Kong Polytechnic University.

AsiaWorld-Expo at Chek Lap Kok, with its AsiaWorld-Arena that can hold up to 14,000, and the Hong Kong Coliseum in Hung Hom, which can accommodate 12,500 people, are among the SAR's largest indoor facilities. The new Kai Tak Sports Park - a multipurpose venue with concert hosting capabilities - is expected to go into service by the end of 2025; its Main Stadium has a capacity for 50,000 people.

Allan Zeman, chairman of Lan Kwai Fong Group, believes the opening of the Kai Tak facility will transform Hong Kong's events scene. "With two to three major events to be held monthly, the new venue can significantly boost the economy, benefiting the hotel, retail, food and beverage, and tourism businesses," he says.

But, Gary Wong Pui-fung, a lecturer at the University of Leeds who studies Hong Kong pop culture, says that when it comes to attracting world superstars to perform in Hong Kong, "the venue is secondary".

The show organizer must consider the production cost and audience size, he says. "The company is uncertain about selling concerts in Hong Kong to audiences beyond the local population. Hong Kong is losing its unique (cultural) characteristics. It becomes more challenging in attracting visitors from the Chinese mainland and overseas. Tourists who can afford to visit Hong Kong can also afford to travel to other cities like Singapore or Tokyo, which also host international stars."

The SAR government is urging district councilors to identify each district's unique and historic features to draw crowds and redefine the "Hong Kong brand" as part of the Day and Night Vibes campaign to spur local consumption. Lawmaker Peter Shiu Ka-fai says he would like to see concerts spurring the nightlife economy.

He suggests the government waive venue rental fees and simplify visa procedures to encourage local and international stars to stage live shows in Hong Kong. "Particularly for world-famous celebrities escorted by a large number of workers, the government should provide special immigration channels to ease entry and exit processes. Besides, it could consider awarding honorary medals to the stars or senior team members as a form of recognition," he says.

Innovating stage design

Counting on concerts to generate substantial earnings involves not only pleasing superstars, but also attracting spectators. "In terms of concert stage effect, Hong Kong lacks the visual punch seen in the designs of Macao and Singapore," says a starstruck young lady surnamed Guo, a K-pop enthusiast who has been devoted to the genre for eight years.

Mathias Woo Yan-wai, executive director of Zuni Icosahedron - an international experimental theater company - says Hong Kong's policy on venues has not been specifically developed for performances as in the case of Macao and Singapore. "For instance, the Hong Kong Coliseum and Kai Tak Sports Park can be used for multiple functions, such as sports events.

"However, the concept of multifunctionality is outdated, an idea dating back 20 years. The world is moving toward specialization, where venues are designed for specific types of performances, requiring different technologies and investments," notes Woo.

He points out that Hong Kong's stage design is led by engineers, not professionals, which is "a significant issue". "Hong Kong should learn from Tokyo which has more specialized venues in number and in professional standards. They have venues dedicated to genres like jazz or pop music, and stage effect is not led by engineers, but by professionals based on research."

Moreover, "Hong Kong's artistic training is academically inclined. Yet, the reality is that concerts require a plethora of technical talent, designers, and software-related professionals," says Woo. He expresses concern that unless these issues are addressed, concerts might find their way to Macao and, potentially, to Shenzhen, as the southern mainland city is also developing numerous new venues for cultural events.

Going outdoor

But replicating the iconic status of the Hong Kong Coliseum - a symbol of the city's past pop culture glory - isn't easy. Wong from the University of Leeds believes the city needs to create another cultural landmark akin to Japan's Tokyo Dome to woo travelers.

As the Hong Kong Coliseum's aureole fades with time, the Central Harbourfront Event Space, with nearly 36,000 square meters of outdoor area, has emerged as a new favorite spot for popular singers, such as Jay Chou and Wayne Lim Jun-jie, in hosting concerts.

Some outdoor concert promoters offer parking spot tickets, which allow buyers paying a premium well above regular seating prices to enjoy live shows from the comfort of their vehicles. Those who drive to concerts are typically among the ultra-wealthy with affluent purchasing capability, and "they just want to sit there and show off their cars," quips Wong.

Dominik Joelsohn, chief operating officer of Music Traveler which connects international artists with local resources, including venues, instruments and equipment, talent and production companies, agrees that open venues will enhance creativity for production companies, musicians, and the music industry at large by offering flexible spaces. This would help the sector and contribute to enriching the local music and cultural scene.

According to Christopher Ng, senior advisor of Music Traveler, the company is planning a series of musical events in Hong Kong, and aims to expand its operations to other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. "Hong Kong is recognized as an international hub for arts and culture, and it remains an excellent gateway to the mainland," Ng says.

Lawmaker Shiu says Hong Kong, once hailed as the "Hollywood of the East", still boasts a well-established performing arts industry. Stars from the 1980s wielded cultural influence that extended beyond the region's borders. This will offer Hong Kong a distinct edge in cultivating a concert economy, where its artistes aren't just icons of the city's unique culture, but also play a key role in bolstering tourism.

Hong Kong's unique advantage lies in "one country, two systems", says Woo of Zuni Icosahedron, and this characteristic should be capitalized on to preserve the city's reputation as a metropolis known for its diversity and openness.