FOLLOWING a month of “mega-events” dubbed Super March, Hong Kong continues to reach new heights in branding the city as Asia’s events capital.
The latest achievement came in April with a concert series by British rock titans Coldplay – the first international band to perform at the new Kai Tak Sports Park (KTSP) stadium. The four concerts attracted approximately 200,000 fans from across the globe, including those from mainland China and Hong Kong.
One report estimates that the economic to Hong Kong’s local economy from the Coldplay concerts amounted to HK$1.2 billion (about US$154.6 million).
The concerts on April 8, 9, 11, and 12, followed Super March – a month promoted by Hong Kong Tourism Board to highlight a schedule of major international events including the first Hong Kong Sevens rugby at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak stadium.
The series of high-profile events included the LIV Golf tournament, Art Basel, and Art Central, which were positioned to reinforce Hong Kong’s status as the events capital for Asia.
“As Hong Kong’s largest integrated sports and entertainment landmark, we are thrilled to welcome back Coldplay in our state-of-the-art facility, underscoring our commitment to bringing world-class sports and entertainment to the city,” KTSP’s chief executive John Sharkey said, referring to Coldplay’s first concert in the city 16 years ago.
KTSP’s statement on the Coldplay concerts follows criticism surrounding long waits and depleted stock supplies at the stadium’s F&B outlets during the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens. Entry into the South Stand section during the weekend also had to be limited due to concerns about crowd capacity.
For the Coldplay concerts, nearly 50,000 attendees departed efficiently each night within 20 minutes, thanks to smooth dispersal via nearby transport facilities, KTSP officials said. “This success further reinforces KTSP’s readiness to host future global sports and entertainment spectacles, further strengthening Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s Events Capital,” they said in the statement.
Coldplay’s alignment with the sustainability cause also resonated with KTSP’s green vision. Since the Hong Kong Sevens in March, the sports complex’s advanced waste decomposition system processed up to 600kg per day of food waste, used paper cups, and containers into compost, significantly reducing event waste.
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The economic impact of the concerts was substantial, with one study putting it at HK$1.2 billion. This figure, calculated by the South China Morning Post based on a methodology outlined by Professor Haiyan Song of Polytechnic University’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management, factored in audience size, tourist spending, and ticket prices.
“The tourist income every year in Hong Kong is about HK$260 billion, so HK$1.2 billion from only four nights is a big number already,” Song told the Post.
