Latest news with #LeisureandCulturalServices
RTHK
31-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTHK
Walled City expo turnout beats 10,000 in first week
Walled City expo turnout beats 10,000 in first week Rosanna Law predicts a 16 percent spike in mainland visitors this weekend due to the Dragon Boat Festival. File photo: RTHK Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said on Saturday more than 10,000 people have visited a new exhibition held at Kowloon Walled City Park, the original site of the former Walled City, in just the first week of its opening. The 'Kowloon Walled City: A Cinematic Journey' exhibition, which features replicas of movie sets from the award-winning film Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In, opened to public last Saturday in a three-year run. To augment the experience as well as manage the flow of visitors, Law said the Leisure and Cultural Services Department has put in place a special ticket arrangement that allows visitors to enter the exhibition at designated times. "The Director of Leisure and Cultural Services has told me that the new [system] has been successful,' she said on a Commercial Radio programme. 'Of course, visitors still need to wait, but they are happier if they can take a break from queueing. "Having breakfast nearby is very convenient; it only takes five to seven minutes to get to Kowloon City.' Law also said four concurrent concerts held last weekend brought out almost 100,000 fans on a single night. She said an essential principle in tourism is that 'when popularity flourishes, wealth and good luck follow' and stressed that Hong Kong should not belittle itself as being an unappealing travel destination. However, she conceded that some people did not stay overnight after attending the concerts and said the sector should come up with measures to attract overnight spending, including packages that include hotel and concert tickets. Law also predicted there would be a 16 percent increase in visits from the mainland this weekend compared to a typical weekend due to the Dragon Boat Festival. However, she gave an assurance, saying the authorities are experienced in managing such influxes. This weekend also sees the last testing event for the 15th National Games in Hong Kong. The test event, featuring the Challenge Cups Fencing Championships, will conclude on Sunday. Law estimates that around 100,000 visitors will attend the National Games events in Hong Kong, scheduled to take place between November 9 and 21. She added that ticketing arrangements will be announced this summer, with both online and offline sales available.
South China Morning Post
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Chinese Culture Festival upholds traditions while embracing innovation
Hong Kong's Chinese Culture Festival returns next month after last year's successful debut which attracted nearly 900,000 visitors during the four-month event. Advertisement This year's line-up of activities, which will also continue until September, promises much more ambitious plans in celebration of the inheritance, exchange and innovation of Chinese culture and history. It will feature more than 280 programmes, including world-class performances, film screenings, exhibitions, as well as a rich array of specially curated events and community and school activities. About 3,000 leading artists from 13 Chinese provinces, alongside overseas artists and local talent, will showcase their work at a range of different venues across the city. Ivy Ngai, chief manager of the Cultural Presentations Section at the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, says the success of last year's festival led to many organisations asking to collaborate with organisers. Their participation has helped to enrich the programming this year by introducing innovative influences including absorbing contemporary elements to many classic productions, she says. New festival theme music, which combines elements of popular tunes, contemporary orchestra and traditional Chinese melodies, was unveiled at an event publicising this year's programmes. It was composed by award-winning musician Chris Babida, known for his work on the 2008 Beijing Olympics song, Light the Passion, Share the Dream. Advertisement The emphasis on innovation will be seen right from the opening programme, Dongpo: Life in Poems on June 13 and 14 – a dance performance which reinterprets the work and story of Su Dong-po, a Northern Song dynasty (960-1127) literary giant, by blending traditional and contemporary music, dance, poetry and painting. The production will be performed by the prestigious China Oriental Performing Arts Group and directed by Shen Wei, an internationally renowned multidisciplinary artist.
BBC News
31-01-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Hopetown Darlington museum visitor shortfall linked to overspend
A new railway museum attracted just half the estimated visitors in its opening months, contributing to a council Darlington opened in July last year but has failed to generate the income anticipated by the town's a result, its Leisure and Cultural Services directorate is expected to overspend by almost £600,000 this financial Borough Council's leader Steven Harker said: "As with any complex project, Hopetown has not been without its challenges, and we will reflect on any lessons to be learned and make improvements as necessary." Fewer visitors than expected, a lack of anticipated car parking income and underestimations around the scale of the project contributed to the attraction's cost.A report due to be discussed by the council's Economy and Resources Scrutiny Committee says the original approved budget for the attraction was £ current approved budget stands at almost double that, with the project's outturn cost - the expected actual cost of it - now standing at £ report says the directorate's current overspend is "mainly from Hopetown Darlington, where there is a projected under-performance in income recovery of £0.6m during the initial period of operation compared to business plan and budget targets".It adds: "The scale of the project and some of the challenges through the project delivery phase were underestimated."Harker said business plans are kept under review and amended when necessary, adding: "Word is spreading that it is a wonderful place to visit." Museum 'cannot fail' Issues linked to the project include delays in the opening of its show field and its virtual reality attraction called Experiment!.The report said the delays and unforeseen problems contributed to visitor numbers being 50% down on estimates, which had a subsequent impact on income generation from catering, merchandising and car of the car park, which is not adjacent to the attraction, is also "lower than anticipated", with visitors often choosing to park on the adjoining a blog post, Darlington's Conservative group urged the Labour-led council to be transparent about the attraction's to hold the council to account, the group's statement said: "In the lead up to the 2025 bi-centenary celebrations, Hopetown should be at the centre of this celebration, driving a much needed boost for the local economy and provide a lasting legacy for all."It cannot fail."In response, Harker said the project had, until recently, enjoyed cross-party support and that it was a shame to see the opposition "looking to whip up outrage".He added: "I will continue to spread positive messages about this wonderful celebration of our innovation and heritage."
