Hong Kong nightlife scores big during World Cup

Hong Kong’s nightlife roared back to life during the World Cup, with industry leaders crediting the tournament for a significant boost in food and beverage revenue. The month-long sporting spectacle, which wrapped up early on Monday with Spain clinching the title, proved that even a 3am whistle couldn’t keep local fans away. Allan Zeman, chairman of the Lan Kwai Fong Group, reported that restaurants and bars in the city saw business surge by as much as 50 percent. He noted that the city’s ability to capitalise on the sporting excitement reaffirms its potential as a world-class hub for major events. "It's a once every four years event, and it's something that we unfortunately can't have every weekend. But in essence, it does show, though, that if you have the right, something very special, some major event, people are prepared to stay up and come out and spend money," he said. "It's a different world, and I think that I'd love to believe that it's changed the culture of Hong Kong, but it just shows what Hong Kong can do if we have the right event." Simon Wong, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, put the financial impact into sharper focus, pegging the catering industry's total revenue increase at about HK$500 million from June 30 through the final match. Wong admitted that initial forecasts were far more conservative. "At the beginning, we estimated that due to the time difference, the World Cup would only bring a slight overall increase in our business of about two to three percent," he said. "But as the tournament moved into the round of 16 and then the quarter-finals, the atmosphere started to get more and more heated. We also saw quite a few fans going to shopping malls, cha chaan tengs, and even Chinese restaurants in the early mornings to watch the matches." He also revealed that around 150 restaurants offered live broadcasts during the tournament, while ten major shopping malls installed big screens to accommodate the crowds. Looking ahead, Wong emphasised that eateries must continue to innovate and find fresh ways to engage customers. Edited by Aaron Tam