HONG KONG’S flagship food and wine festival is bottling more success after coming to a close at the weekend, with organisers now turning their attention to a month-long culinary campaign designed to extend visitor spending and engagement across the city.
Organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and co-organised by the Bordeaux Wine Council, the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival attracted more than 171,000 visits, an increase of more than 5 per cent year on year, while sales rose by around 8 per cent.
Held at Central Harbourfront Event Space and nearby Tamar Park under the theme “Taste the World’s Best”, the four-day event featured an expanded line-up of international wines and food experiences and drew both local residents and visitors.
Building on that momentum, HKTB will launch Hong Kong Gourmet Month throughout November. The campaign will involve more than 400 restaurants, bars and F&B outlets across the city, offering limited-time menus, dining promotions and culinary experiences designed to encourage visitors to explore different districts.
Among the initiatives are the Hong Kong Wine-Pairing Award-Winning Restaurants Gala, Taste More Hong Kong, featuring selected Michelin Guide restaurants, and a series of nightlife-focused promotions including AFTER 9, Cocktail Fest Month and Sip and Savour in LKF – the famed Central bar precinct.
Festival attendees will also be able to use their Gourmet Month Privilege Card to access more than 250 offers through to November 30.
For business events organisers, the festival’s conclusion also coincided with a significant development for Hong Kong’s wine and spirits sector.
HKTB signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with Vinexposium, organiser of Vinexpo Asia, securing the event in Hong Kong from 2027 to 2031. Under the agreement, the trade exhibition will be staged exclusively in the city for five consecutive years.
The partners also plan to expand the event’s footprint beyond the exhibition halls by linking it with Hong Kong’s wider dining, cultural and lifestyle offerings, creating a citywide experience aimed at attracting high-value visitors and generating benefits for tourism, hospitality, dining and retail businesses.
Peter Lam, chairman of HKTB, said: “Hong Kong’s role as the exclusive host city of Vinexpo Asia for five consecutive years not only reflects the confidence that international organisers and the global industry place in Hong Kong, but also reinforces the city’s position as Asia’s leading wine and spirits trading hub and the World’s Meeting Place.
I am confident that the Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival and Vinexpo Asia will complement each other, ensuring Hong Kong remains a key global hub for wine and spirits exchange, trade and experiences, promoting wine culture and boosting market interest, as well as fostering business exchange and supply chain support.”
Philippe Tapie, Elected Member of the Bordeaux Gironde Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said: “Hong Kong has been an integral part of Vinexpo Asia’s journey since 1998, serving as a trusted meeting point for the global wine and spirits industry and a gateway to opportunities across Asia.
By establishing Hong Kong as the annual home of Vinexpo Asia from 2027 through 2031, we are providing the continuity and certainty that businesses increasingly value, enabling producers, buyers and industry professionals to plan, connect and grow over the long term.
“This renewed partnership also creates exciting opportunities to strengthen links between the international wine and spirits community and Hong Kong’s vibrant gastronomy, hospitality and lifestyle sectors, opening a new chapter for Vinexpo Asia and the industry as a whole,” Tapie said.
Vinexpo Asia was previously held in Hong Kong every alternate year. Under the new agreement, the event will become an annual fixture in the city, with the first edition under the new format scheduled for the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from June 8-10, 2027.
