50pc more deals at this year's HK Shopping Festival
Annie Yau Tse says it is hard to say how much of a boost the campaign would provide to the retail sector. File photo: RTHK
The chairwoman of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association on Friday said with more shops joining this year's Hong Kong Shopping Festival, local deals could be more attractive than those outside the SAR.
The two-month festival that is held for the third straight year will kick off on July 1.
With more than 180 brands offering freebies and discounts, Annie Yau Tse told an RTHK radio programme that the event aims to encourage people to loosen their purse strings to counter a recent sales slump.
"The total amount of discounts this time is 50 percent more than last year. This year it is worth more than HK$19 billion in total," she said.
"We've got more discounts, and the number of participating shops and brands have gone up by 10 to 20 percent. I believe if the campaign isn't effective, shops won't be so keen to join."
Yau Tse noted that it is inevitable that Hongkongers will leave the region to spend the summer holiday elsewhere during the period, but hopes that the discounts on offer will be a better deal compared with shopping overseas.
But she added it is hard to say how much of a boost the event could provide to the ailing retail sector.
As part of the celebrations to mark the 28th anniversary of the SAR's anniversary, the catering sector will also roll out discounts of up to 29 percent.
Some discounts will only be available on July 1, while discounts at several restaurants will last for a week.
Winston Yeung, chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades told the same show that various kinds of eateries have agreed to take part, such as fast-food shops, Chinese restaurants and cafes.
When asked whether the up to 29 percent discounts is enough to encourage people to spend locally, Yeung said it is not an easy comparison, as some food on the mainland costs only one-third of the offerings in Hong Kong.
Yeung added his hope is that the discounts can get residents to spend more than usual.
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