HONG KONG’s meetings and events community enjoyed their first mask-free gatherings Wednesday after nearly three years as the regional government dropped one of its last anti-Covid restrictions.
The Professional Convention Management Association held a late afternoon networking session at the Renaissance Harbour View Hotel that also celebrated the reopening of China’s borders. The PCMA Mix & Mingle was followed by a welcome event at Happy Valley racetrack for Thursday’s return of Live Matters Hong Kong at AIA Vitality Park on the city’s iconic harbourfront.
More… Events play big role in ‘Hello Hong Kong’ strategy
The city’s mandatory mask rule had originally been extended to March 8, but officials announced on Tuesday that the restriction would be lifted as of March 1 – days after neighbouring Macau scrapped its mandate.
This was in time for a series of international events in March beginning with the Live Matters open-air conference on the eve of Clockenflap, a weekend-long independent music and arts festival, also held along Hong Kong island’s harbourfront.
Conferences and exhibitions would continue through March culminating in the Hong Kong Sevens rugby festival at the end of the month. The lifting of the masks rule gives organisers “one less thing to worry about”, according to one event operator.
TOURISM BOSS WELCOMES MASK MOVE
As the mandatory mask-wearing rule is lifted, all social-distancing measures in Hong Kong have come to an end. Both the local public and all visitors from around the world can now enjoy the many experiences in Hong Kong to the fullest. This not only directly marks Hong Kong’s full return to normal, but also gives a shot in the arm to the revival of our tourism industry.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board will immediately broadcast this good news to Mainland and overseas visitor source markets and will invite visitors to Hong Kong to enjoy our diverse international mega events, dynamic cityscape, inspiring great outdoors, and other brand-new experiences that our city and its new attractions have to offer, and say ‘Hello Hong Kong’ to us.
– Pang Yiu-kai, Hong Kong Tourism Board chairman
