Wallis Wang
Bars were expecting a full house last night as hundreds of revelers gaily donned costumes for Halloween.
Chin Chun-wing, chairman of the Hong Kong Bar and Club Association, said this year's Halloween fell neither on a weekend nor a public holiday, leading to more Hongkongers staying in the city instead of traveling to the mainland or overseas.
He anticipated at least a 10 percent hike in business for Central and Tsim Sha Tsui bars - and a five to 10 percent surge for bars in other districts.
"Many young people dressed up in costumes and went out to have fun, making Hong Kong energetic," he said.
The Wine & Dine Festival in Central and the 3D Light Show and laser lighting display at Space Museum in Tsim Sha Tsui earlier had successfully drawn visitors to the district, Chin said.
Bars even recorded a surge in business on Monday and Tuesday, and many Lan Kwai Fong establishments were fully booked, he added.
"I think the government did a really good job this time by hosting so many events during Halloween," he said.
Chin also said the reduction in Hong Kong spirits tax also encouraged liquor sellers to launch promotions, further easing the bars' operational pressure.
The government should continue to host night events to boost local consumption, he said.
Anthea Cheung So-may, director of the Lan Kwai Fong Association, said the bar sector has been recovering these past few weeks.
She said most bars began to receive customers' reservations two weeks ago and have been fully booked since last weekend. "The bars saw a full house last Friday while the whole Lan Kwai Fong was filled with people in costumes," she said.
Cheung added that Halloween this year is the "best ever" since she took office in 2018, with a 10 percent surge in customer numbers and business volume.
Meanwhile, Pottinger Street in Central saw its annual share of costume-buyers, including mainland tourists looking to experience the Halloween atmosphere here.
But a stall owner recorded a 60-percent drop in business, saying people are spending less on costumes this year.
Celebrations also kicked off earlier with trick-or-treating, such as in Discovery Bay on Lantau Island, where costumed kids and teenagers gathered along Headland Drive from 5pm.
In related news, the Hong Kong Tourism Board sent out a "ghostly party tram" between 6pm and 10pm yesterday, roaming the streets from Witty Street, Sai Wan, to Causeway Bay. It also deployed a pumpkin-themed ice cream truck to hand out free ice cream at Central Ferry Pier 8.
wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com
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