How to Lure Big Acts to Hong Kong?

Hong Kong wants more tourists to come, but how to entice?

Hong Kong is still figuring out how to lure more tourists into the city, and some seem to think getting big-name artists like Taylor Swift to perform will solve its problems.

While Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu supported the idea of trying to entice Swift to come to Hong Kong, he didn't seem keen to extend the invitation himself -- in case he got snubbed.

How about getting Taylor Swift to come?

"We will fight for that, but it is like asking someone to go on a date during the process," he said. "I can give them a call, but first it depends on whether they have time to talk to me and whether coming to Hong Kong is in line with their entire plans. We will continue to work hard."

So he doesn't want to stick his neck out like Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who sent a Tweet to Swift: "It's me, hi. I know places in Canada would love to have you. So, don't make it another cruel summer. We hope to see you soon."

After that Swifties were thrilled to hear a stop in Toronto was announced, and then later on Vancouver -- for the end of this year.

But for a supposedly international city, Hong Kong doesn't have massive venues to hold tens of thousands of people -- well not until the stadium at Kai Tak Sports Park is ready later this year and seats 50,000. That compares to Singapore's National Stadium which holds 5,000 more people.

Bigger venues like Kai Tak Sports Park needed

Venues aside, there's the national security law to contend with -- artists may not want to even begin to get entangled with the possibility of crossing that massive red line.

Meanwhile some experts suggest Hong Kong should have a mascot, an international ambassador to lure people to the city. 

What would this mascot look like and its name? One can imagine it could get very political...

Last year 34 million tourist arrivals were recorded, which is 65 percent of pre-Covid levels in 2019.