Hongkongers made 2.73 million outbound trips over the Christmas holiday period, an increase of about 11 per cent from last year, with an industry leader reporting a boost in the nightlife sector, and experts saying the food and beverage business remained lacklustre. According to the Immigration Department on Monday, the number of outbound trips between…
Hong Kong authorities have distributed about 30 per cent of a HK$4.1 billion (US$528 million) fund set up for residents affected by last month’s deadly fire, along with more than 45,000 donated items. A spokeswoman for the Home and Youth Bureau said: “The total financial commitment of the various support measures in place so far…
Hong Kong received 10 per cent more visitors during the Christmas period compared with last year, while Hongkongers made almost 1.7 million outbound trips, up 22 per cent over the same period, according to official statistics. However, the retail sector warned that the absence of New Year fireworks could affect the number of visitors in…
Incoming lawmakers should prioritise helping the Hong Kong government advance policy reforms and strengthen integration with national development, the outgoing Legislative Council president has said as he prepares to step down. Andrew Leung Kwan-yuen also said on Saturday that the new lawmakers would need to assist the government in devising a prudent and pragmatic budget,…
Morgan Stanley’s fundraising drive for Operation Santa Claus (OSC) has kept the firm on course to remain the campaign’s top corporate supporter for the ninth consecutive year, extending a partnership of nearly three decades that has engaged employees across divisions, seniority levels and borders. According to Gokul Laroia, CEO of Asia at Morgan Stanley, the…
Six labour unions with Hong Kong’s Fire Services Department have denounced banker turned film producer Checkley Sin Kwok-lam for comments about its chief’s handling of the Tai Po fire. The unions banded together on Thursday to slam Sin’s comments about the department’s strategies for battling the city’s deadliest fire in decades. The blaze raged for…
Hongkongers are out in droves to experience festive vibes on Christmas Eve, while more than 330,000 residents have left the city for the holidays. By Wednesday evening, a growing crowd had gathered at the open-air plaza at Harbour City shopping centre in Tsim Sha Tsui to admire special Disney-themed festive installations. Office worker Cecile Tang,…
The Filipino domestic worker who fought for her life to escape from Hong Kong’s deadliest fire in decades with her employer’s three-month-old baby is spending Christmas with her family back home after being treated for pneumonia. While 28-year-old Rhodora Alcaraz’s time in intensive care is long behind her, she is still recovering from pneumonia and…
The number of deaths from workplace accidents in Hong Kong rose to a record 118 this year, including 16 killed in the deadly Tai Po fire, with a union calling for full transparency in investigation reports and heavier penalties on those found liable. The Association for the Rights of Industrial Accident Victims on Tuesday revealed…
Australian soft rock duo Air Supply will headline Hong Kong’s New Year countdown after the fireworks show was cancelled, with authorities expecting more than 11 million travellers to cross the city’s borders during the festive period. The government also said on Tuesday that they were in discussions with the Shenzhen government to extend border crossing…