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Country Profile: Hong Kong

The world’s leading promoters & the 70+ top markets they operate in.
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In Hong Kong, the closure of the Kowloonbay International Trade and Exhibition Centre (KITEC) presented some venue booking problems for a territory that opened its borders later than most countries following the Covid outbreak.

“While we’re starting to see the market correct itself from the delayed reopening of Hong Kong’s borders after the pandemic, the permanent closure of the KITEC has made the process of getting available venues a lot more difficult,” says Justin Sweeting, head of music at Magnetic Asia – one of the region’s main promoters, alongside Eventim Live Asia, Live Nation, AEG, and Asia Music Group.

“The market for international acts is more competitive than ever, and the need to be more selective when it comes to booking them has returned to the forefront,” he says.

Sweeting is also the music director and co-founder of Clockenflap, Magnetic Asia’s leading music and arts festival, which commemorated its post-lockdown return with an unprecedented two editions in March and December of last year – the latter being headlined by Pulp, Swae Lee, Yoasobi, and De La Soul. Live Nation acquired a majority stake in the three-day extravaganza in 2023.

“The market for international acts is more competitive than ever, and the need to be more selective when it comes to booking them has returned to the forefront”

Sweeting and his peers’ concerns over venue availability should be alleviated by the highly anticipated grand opening of the $3.84bn multipurpose Kai Tak Sports Park complex – which will include a 50,000-capacity main stadium with a retractable roof. With the 14,000-seater AsiaWorld-Expo in tow, the outlook seems bright for Hong Kong’s live events ecosystem.

“We expect significant growth driven by enhanced infrastructure, increased investment from local and international promoters, a Chinese government policy that simplifies the visa application for visitors from mainland China, and funding from the Hong Kong government,” says Joe Tai, MD of Asia Music Group.

Having already brought the likes of Babymetal, K-pop boyband Ateez, and Thai pop heartthrob Billkin to the territory over the past year, Tai is keen to emphasise Hong Kong’s standing as a geographical haven for artists and attendees alike. “The city’s strategic location as a gateway to China makes it a very attractive spot for international tours,” he adds.

“The city’s strategic location as a gateway to China makes it a very attractive spot for international tours”

Live Nation also places K-pop and J-pop artists at or near the top of Hong Kong’s popularity charts. “We’ve celebrated sold-out two-arena tours from Stray Kids and Taeyang this past year,” says Joanna Yuen, MD of Live Nation Hong Kong.

She adds that while the absence of TikTok in the region ensures a level of unpredictability when gauging a viral artist’s popularity, it shouldn’t stop artists from putting in the effort to connect with the local audience when performing in Hong Kong. “Artists need to develop a loyal fanbase, so fostering connections with fans is paramount in ensuring success here. No matter where they come from, artists also need to be willing to put in the work to secure their niche within the local market – both online and offline – to encourage this fan engagement when they tour across Hong Kong.”

Elsewhere, Live Nation held its recurring two-day EDM showcase, Creamfields, in April, with Armin van Buuren, Chase and Status, and Martin Garrix leading the fray. The music events juggernaut also has Olivia Rodrigo, LANY, Imagine Dragons, and Taeyang on the books for the rest of 2024 – all scheduled to perform at the AsiaWorld-Expo.

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