What Lan Kwai Fong father says about nightlife economy

Extending shopping hours past midnight? Relaxing rules on selling street food? Lengthening stock trading hours? Free night parking? Or simply banning Netflix?
There seems to be no simple solution to ease the plight of Hong Kong, which becomes a dead city after 10pm in the post-pandemic period.
Listens to Allan Zeman, who knows a thing or two about night economics after running the famous Lan Kwai Fong since the mid-80s.
In a video interview with New People’s Party legislator Adrian Ho King-hong, the father of Lan Kwai Fong wasted no time saying we should all get used to the new paradigm shift because the consumption pattern has changed.
It is understandable for the value-conscious locals to go to Shenzhen because it offers better service, quality and a more creative menu at the same time, he said, noting that the local restaurants must change instead of lamenting about poor business.
From the tourist perspective, it is not cheaper to shop in Hong Kong, as compared with online shopping which offered far more choices.
But still, mainlanders are rich consumers. Some of them would check in Lan Kwai Fong and spend half a million yuan a night for fun. That compares with foreigners who spend HK$100 for two beers during happy hours.
To be fair, the overseas tourists are yet to arrive as both the flight availability and ticket prices have not returned to normal.
One observation he has is that higher-spending foreign tourists will come if there are large-scale events or exhibitions.
But unfortunately, Hong Kong still lacks a large-scale stadium that can hold concerts or sports events that could attract tourists from all over the world.
In all, he is positive about Hong Kong because it’s only a few months since the end of the pandemic and it takes time for people to adjust.
Mr Zeman is confident that Hong Kong will recover soon. Let’s hope he is right again.
-- Contact us at [email protected]
-
HK says Goodbye to Pioneer of English Education Mark O'Neill
On May 7, 150 people crowded into St John’s Cathedral in Garden Road to say goodbye to a polymath and pioneer of English-language education who lived in the city for 42 years. Dr Verner Bickley
-
French Sisters in HK saved 34000 abandoned children Mark O'Neill
In 19th century Hong Kong, families abandoned thousands of girls whom they could not or would not bring up. They faced death, disease, a life of domestic service or prostitution. But the Sisters of
-
Czech National Ballet in Hong Kong Arts Festival Kevin Ng
Nowadays Hong Kong seldom plays host to overseas ballet companies, except during the annual Hong Kong Arts Festival. Czech National Ballet is the only ballet company touring this year’s Festival. Its
-
Are Hong Kong migrants to UK returning home? Mark O'Neill
“She was a schoolteacher in Hong Kong and now works as a cashier in a supermarket in Britain. I think she and her husband would like to come back but it is a question of face. How would she explain
-
Collaboration to Transform Waste into Resources Dr. Winnie Tang
Over the past decade, the amount of waste produced by Hong Kong residents has remained high. According to government data, the per capita municipal solid waste disposal rate per day in Hong Kong