Blackpink lifts mainland Chinese arrivals in Hong Kong to January weekend record

Mainland Chinese tourists coming to Hong Kong on Saturday and Sunday made it a record-breaking weekend for this month, driven by K-pop girl group Blackpink’s shows, while the figure was just 2 per cent below New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day footfall. Hotel and retail industry leaders said on Monday the three-day concert series had attracted crowds of local and mainland “Blinks” – the nickname for Blackpink fans – to Kai Tak. They urged authorities to explore more celebrity tie-ups to promote the Hong Kong brand and its cultural heritage, and to host new events to drive tourism. The concert at Kai Tak Stadium on Monday marked the final performance of the band’s “Deadline” world tour that began last July, with singer Rosé capping off her tradition of sampling local snacks on camera with fish balls, after tasting an egg waffle and a sip of milk tea over the past two nights. Chung Pok-man, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Department Stores and Commercial Staff General Union, said the flavours tasted by Rosé and Thai member Lisa’s visit to Che Kung Temple showcased local heritage and could drive tourism. “Apart from looking at it from numbers, we should also look at the concert’s impact on promoting the soft power of the city, such as tourist spots and the culinary scene,” he said. “When fans know their idols have been to certain places, it serves as a form of promotion and can stimulate other districts’ economies.” According to immigration data, more than 188,100 mainland visitors arrived in Hong Kong on Saturday, the first day of Blackpink’s concert in the city. The number of mainland arrivals dropped slightly to 168,255 on Sunday, the second day of the concert. Both daily figures surpassed the New Year’s Eve record of about 148,400 visitors by 26.7 per cent on Saturday and 13.4 per cent on Sunday, while remaining below the 215,332 mainland travellers arriving in Hong Kong on New Year’s Day. However, the roughly 356,400 mainland arrivals on Saturday and Sunday were only 2 per cent lower than those recorded on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, which fell on a Wednesday and a Thursday. The total for Saturday and Sunday is also the highest among all weekends this January so far. Chung noted the concert had brought more footfall to retailers in Kai Tak, but fans generally focused on buying Blackpink-related merchandise. He said authorities should continue to brand the stadium as a top concert venue and improve its ticketing platforms to attract non-local fans to the city, adding that they could also collaborate with pop stars to showcase overlooked cultural features. Timothy Chui Ting-pong, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association, said the concerts brought footfalls to retail and catering facilities in Kai Tak and also nearby areas. He added that the occupancy rate of hotels around the city on Saturday increased by about 10 per cent to more than 90 per cent compared with other weekends. A check by the Post found that a night at the Dorsett Kai Tak, the hotel near the stadium, on Monday was going for at least HK$7,000 (US$898). Chui also urged the city to move beyond focusing on the economic benefits generated by such mega-events and step up cultural promotion. “We have been talking about the mega-events for three years. It is time to move on and look at it from a broader perspective of city branding,” he said. Chui cited the free solo climb of Taipei 101 in Taiwan as an example, saying events that featured Hong Kong “symbols” could leave a stronger impression on tourists and cultivate a sense of belonging among locals. Apart from inviting stars to the city, he said authorities could explore opportunities for promoting local cultures, such as traditional festivals and the bamboo theatre at Kam Tin in Yuen Long, to make Hong Kong stand out from its competitors.