Hong Kong will host more than 100 mega events in the second half of the year, drawing an estimated 1.85 million visitors and generating about HK$5.9 billion ($756 million) in spending, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said on Sunday.

Writing in his weekly blog, Chan said the events, covering arts, culture, creative industries and sports, are expected to contribute about HK$3.3 billion in economic value added.

The special administrative region will also host the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Finance Ministers’ Meeting for the first time in October, bringing together senior political and business figures from across the region to Hong Kong.

“The meeting will be an opportunity to show Hong Kong not only as a premier international financial center, but also as a hub of mega events with rich offerings in culture, arts, sports and lifestyle that is ideal for living, working and traveling,” Chan said.

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The recent Hong Kong Football Festival 2026 and Audi Football Summit 2026 at Kai Tak Sports Park had attracted more than 120,000 spectators across three matches and generated an estimated HK$180 million in ticket revenue, Chan said. He added that some restaurants near the venue reported business increase of about 20 percent during the events.

According to the finance chief, some 1.75 million visitors took part in more than 130 mega events in Hong Kong in the first half of this year, generating about HK$5.8 billion in spending and HK$3.3 billion in economic value added. The city’s total retail sales value grew for the 14th consecutive month in June, with a year-on-year increase of 9.6 percent for the first half.

Chan made the remarks after visiting two exhibitions at the Hong Kong Palace Museum – “The Forbidden City and the World: Cultural Encounters” as well as “Ancient Egypt Unveiled: Treasures from Egyptian Museums”. The latter has recorded more than 570,000 visits since opening late last year, and about 200 related cultural and creative products launched by the museum have generated more than HK$30 million in sales.

“Cultural content anchors the foundation of value; industrial platforms determine its scale; and mega events help unlock that value. They are closely interconnected, forming a vibrant ecosystem that reinforces itself,” Chan said.

He added that the combined revenue of the Hong Kong Palace Museum and M+ had increased by 22 percent year-on-year in the last financial year, with venue rentals and sales of cultural and creative products becoming important sources of income.

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Chan said Hong Kong is one of the world’s top three art trading centers and will continue to strengthen its ecosystem by attracting more high-end art-related services and transactions, such as the art storage facilities at Hong Kong International Airport and the soon-to-be-completed Artist Square Towers in the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Moreover, the enhanced Asia IP Exchange, which began operating in March, has launched an arts, cultural and creative intellectual property database featuring more than 10,000 IP listings.

Contact the writer at irisli@chinadailyhk.com