Hong Kong ready to host 88th Lions Club International Convention

Between 27 June and 1 July, Hong Kong will welcome close to 20,000 Lions Clubs members and their accompanying family members and friends from over 100 countries and regions, who will arrive in the city for the 88th Lions Clubs International (LCI) Convention, the annual congregation of the world’s largest service club organisation dedicated to helping the less fortunate in the community. Together they are expected to generate around HK$150 million of direct tourism spending and spin-off business for the retail, catering and tourism-related sectors in Hong Kong.

The LCI Convention is not only the biggest event of its kind to be held in the city this year, but it is also the second time this global organisation is staging its annual convention in Hong Kong, following its previous Convention in 1992.

Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), The Hon Mrs Selina Chow, GBS, OBE, JP, said that over the past 13 years, Hong Kong has continued to progress from strength to strength as a tourism destination and has indeed been named the world’s 7th most popular destination by the World Tourism Organization. “When we first hosted the Lions in 1992, the city welcomed some eight million visitors in the full year,” she said. “This year, we’re expecting 23.41 million arrivals, almost three times the figure in 1992.

“The LCI Convention offers a unique opportunity for Hong Kong to showcase its internationalism, attractions, services and hospitality to thousands of achievers in all areas of business from around the world,” she said. “The visits by the Lions will not only generate substantial benefits for the city’s tourism-related sectors and economy, but also help raise Hong Kong’s profile internationally and reinforce its standing as Asia’s world city and the region’s major hub for international conventions and exhibitions.”

Commenting on the Lions’ decision to make such an early return to Hong Kong, International President of the LCI Clement Kusiak said that the Convention’s return is a strong testimony to Hong Kong’s development as an important and influential economic player, not only in Asia, but on the world stage.

“Hong Kong is renowned for providing a support infrastructure that is second to none,” Mr Kusiak said. “Its advanced communications facilities, comprehensive transportation system, world-class convention venue and wonderful city attractions combine to make Hong Kong a truly marvellous location for Lions to collect together from around the world.”

To ensure the success of the LCI Convention, the HKTB has been working closely with SAR Government officials, travel industry partners and members of the Lions District 303 and the Host Committee ever since Hong Kong won the bid six years ago. Efforts have been made to ensure that the Lions and their accompanying members will see and experience for themselves Hong Kong’s state-of-the-art infrastructure, including its award-winning airport, its world-class hotels and widely acclaimed services.

The LCI Convention will provide valuable exposure for Hong Kong in the international publicity arena. Attended by close to 20,000 influential business leaders and professionals and their companions around the world, the successful experience of the Convention will create effective word-of-mouth publicity and powerful testimonial to Hong Kong’s ability as a convention destination. Through media coverage, reports and footage, the event will be shared among the 1.4 million members of the Clubs in 193 countries and regions, creating further publicity for Hong Kong.

The Convention will also serve as a showcase to the more than 145 international conferences that have already been confirmed from now until 2010. These include the World Trade Organization 6th Ministerial Meeting this December, which is expected to bring in 11,000 high-profile delegates and media to the city. Altogether these conventions will bring close to 80,000 international visitors to Hong Kong.

In addition, six new trade shows, over and above the 45 recurrent international shows, will be held in Hong Kong this year. In late 2006, the ITU TELECOM WORLD will take place, the first time this international event will be held outside Geneva. With expected overseas attendance of 100,000, it will also be Hong Kong’s largest-ever event.

Indeed, the city enjoys a proven track record for staging well-organised and well-attended events. In 2004, the city hosted 267 conventions and 53 exhibitions, which attracted over 497,000 visitors, a growth of 59% over 2003 and 31% higher than in 2002. Combined with the more than 720,000 visitors who attended other corporate  events, the total meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) segment represented more than 1.22 million arrivals, 5.6% of Hong Kong’s 21.8 million total visitors, and more than a third of the 3.4 million business travellers.

Surveys by the HKTB show that the per capita spending of the convention and exhibition visitors reached about HK$10,000 in 2004, more than twice the HK$4,478 of the average overnight visitors. Also, their average length of stay at 4.7 nights was longer than the 3.7 nights of other overnight visitors. Given their high-yield potential, the HKTB has long invested significant efforts in developing the MICE segment. This segment, along with the business travellers, are the key targets of the promotions under the “2006 Discover Hong Kong Year” global marketing campaign, which has been designed to promote Hong Kong as a “must-visit” destination in 2006.

In just a few months’ time, the experience of the convention and exhibition visitors will be further enhanced, with the opening of the new tourism attractions and venues, including Hong Kong Disneyland, Ngong Ping 360, Hong Kong Wetland Park and AsiaWorld-Expo.

Between 27 June and 1 July, Lions around the world will take part in a host of activities and programmes that include special tours, visits and an entertainment show. In addition to launching a series of promotions overseas and in Hong Kong to encourage attendance at the Convention, the HKTB has co-ordinated attractive packages and special offers for delegates to enhance their experience during their stay. As the Convention will take place during the 2005 Hong Kong Shopping Festival, delegates and their companions will experience Hong Kong’s world-famous shopping and dining, through a range of special privileges and themed activities.

The highlight will be the traditional Lions street Parade on 28 June, in which the delegates – many attired in national costume – will march along a waterfront route on Hong Kong Island against the magnificent backdrop of the city’s world-renowned Victoria Harbour and glittering night vistas.

Mr Paul Fan, Chairman of the 88th LCI Convention Host Committee and Past International Director, said that the Parade would be one of the most colourful events of the Convention. “Our costumed Lions will be marching from Golden Bauhinia Square to the Tamar site,” he said. “We greatly look forward to the event and invite the public to enjoy the festivities with us as the sun sets over the Hong Kong skyline.” 

To offer delegates the unique opportunity to explore Mainland China – the fastest growing economy and fourth most popular destination in the world – tours to Shenzhen have been arranged with full co-operation of the Shenzhen Tourism Bureau. Located just minutes away from the Mainland border, Hong Kong provides an excellent platform to explore this fascinating country for business and leisure. Given the Mainland’s robust economic expansion, and the increasing global popularity of China and the rest of Asia, Hong Kong is set to gain greater prominence as the preferred gateway to the Mainland. 

Mrs Chow was confident that the Convention would be the best LCI Convention ever. “The LCI Convention is the best showcase of our professionalism and sterling support for assisting and staging international events,” she said. “With the tremendous assistance by our Government, our tourism industry partners, including airlines, travel agents, hotels and transport operators, and our community, we’ll ensure that the Lions would have a unique, diverse and total travel experience during their stay and that they will all become Ambassadors of Hong Kong, bringing home wonderful memories and lasting impression of our city.”

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