Latest news with #MichaelTienPuk-sun
South China Morning Post
31-03-2025
- Sport
- South China Morning Post
‘Successful try' at the Sevens proves game changer for stadium
After 40 years in Hong Kong Stadium, the city has staged its first Sevens rugby tournament at the new and shimmering Kai Tak Stadium. By most measurements it was an overwhelming success. The rugby, as was to be expected, was world-class, drawing a three-day total of more than 110,000 fans to cheer or groan as the action went their team's way, or against. A Cathay Pacific A350 staged a nostalgic fly-past. The new South Stand was in good form, its beer-infused costume party seamlessly transplanted to Kai Tak from So Kon Po. Advertisement As the weekend progressed, however, teething problems emerged. Primary among them was a failure to ensure fans had full cups and stomachs. Many queued for food and drinks for 45 minutes or more. Some concession stands ran out of items. Tourism chief Rosanna Law Shuk-pui, after enduring delays buying food, told the park to 'fix it'. Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun initially called it an unacceptable 'nightmare' for spectators, but later said improvements were made. These were clearly more than 'occasional gaps', as a Kai Tak Sports Park spokesman put it, and the sooner organisers address these issues, the better. After all, British band Coldplay play a series of concerts there next week. For fans, lower-level seats open to the general public perhaps may have been more generous, with virtually all the pitchside blocked off for corporate boxes. Some overzealous staff also sent spectators on unnecessary detours to distant gates when closer ones were available. Beyond the hitches, there was much to celebrate, starting with the drama on the pitch. New Zealand took the women's title with a defeat of Australia, while Argentina overcame France in the men's final for their first crown in the city. The Hong Kong men's team lifted the Melrose Claymores trophy after a comfortable win over China, as did the women, with a drubbing of Kazakhstan. The stadium proved a hit for fans, with decent views from pretty much every section, comfortable seats and toilets that were far less of a worry than the ageing ones at the old stadium. The MTR and extra buses appeared to address transport concerns. Advertisement World Rugby chairman Brett Robinson declared it 'one of the great sevens events of the global calendar'. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu called the Kai Tak tournament a 'successful try'. The cheers had hardly faded when it emerged there was football magic to come with AC Milan set to play Liverpool and Arsenal to face Tottenham at the stadium in July.
South China Morning Post
28-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's MTR Corp freezes fares for first time since 2023 formula reform
Hong Kong's rail giant, the MTR Corporation, has said it will keep train ticket prices the same this year – the first time it has frozen fares since its pricing formula was reformed in 2023 – with ongoing fare concessions to be continued. Advertisement The company made its announcement on Friday. The fare freeze took into account affordability, the company's productivity and profitability, including gains from property development, as well as a wage index for transport sector workers. The calculations register a 1.45 per cent increase, just shy of the threshold of 1.5 per cent that would trigger a fare rise. Lawmaker Michael Tien Puk-sun, a former chairman of Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, called for a revision to the formula in 2028. 'The subsidy from property development profits on fares is meaningless, for a HK$20 trip (US$2.60), the savings is 4 HK cents, which is too little,' he said. Advertisement The corporation is set to reveal any fare adjustments on Friday.
South China Morning Post
12-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's MTR Corp, KMB explore pet-friendly policies
Two Hong Kong public transport operators – MTR Corporation and franchised bus firm KMB – are considering allowing passengers to bring small animals on board in a bid to cater to pet owners, the South China Morning Post has learned. Sources said the rail giant and bus firm were both mulling the move, with the MTR Corp to make a decision in the first half of this year. The companies were expected to limit the size of pets allowed, they added. An insider said the MTR Corp planned to conduct a trial run on weekends to gauge public sentiment, with the service then being extended to non-peak hours during weekdays. 'The MTR Corp needs to balance the extent of public acceptance and the travel needs of pet owners,' the insider said. 'The size of the pets allowed on board should be small and carried in a carriage or a bag so they can be kept at a safe distance from other passengers to avoid causing any nuisance.' A second source said the rail firm could also designate one compartment on each train for pets. Another insider said KMB was eager to introduce a pet-friendly policy on its regular bus routes. The firm rolled out the city's first regular animal-friendly public coach service in October last year. Hong Kong's first pet-friendly bus is a tail-wagging success The service allows cats and dogs of all breeds aboard select double-decker buses, and charges passengers with pets just HK$35 (US$4.50) per ride. 'KMB has considered rolling out the service during non-peak hours with the size of the pet no bigger than that of a permissible piece of luggage. But they must be put in a container,' he said. In response to the South China Morning Post's inquiries, the MTR Corp stopped short of saying if it was considering such a policy. The firm only said that it needed to 'consider and balance different factors' as it sought to provide safe, reliable and comfortable rail services. 'The company will continue to maintain communication with different stakeholders,' it said. KMB said it was committed to encouraging a more pet-friendly environment, adding that its non-franchised 'Pet Bus Tour' service had received tremendously positive responses. 'The company maintains an open attitude towards allowing pets on franchised buses and will consider various factors and balance the opinions of all stakeholders to foster a more inclusive society,' it said. Lawmakers Gary Zhang Xinyu and Michael Tien Puk-sun both expressed their support for the move. 'Hong Kong is an open and vibrant city that should cater to the different demands of customers. A lot of Hongkongers own pets, and they should be given convenience for travelling,' Zhang said. 'This policy should be introduced in stages to allow the public to gradually accept it.' Hong Kong's public transport operators are aiming to cater to pet owners while balancing public acceptance. Photo: Lo Hoi-ying Tien, who is also a former chairman of the Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation, said: 'I support this initiative to allow pet owners to carry their 'fur child' on public transport.' 'We should be cautious at the start and take in small pets first at non-peak hours. For KMB, [animals] should be kept at the lower deck, but they cannot occupy a seat,' he added. 'If both the MTR Corp and KMB allow passengers to carry luggage, I cannot see why they cannot bring their pets on board.' Government statistics showed that about 242,000 households in Hong Kong in 2019 kept dogs and cats, accounting for 9.4 per cent of all households. Pets are currently barred from public transport such as trains, buses and trams, unless they are guide dogs. But local legislation allows the operators of franchised or licensed ferry services, public light buses and non-franchised buses to decide for themselves whether passengers can board with pets. The city is home to more than 1,600 parks, but only about 160 welcome pets, so long as they are on leashes. Canines, meanwhile, can only run freely in the 52 dog parks. Many owners looking to travel with their animals have to hire an Uber Pet service, which charges a HK$20 fee per animal, or take a taxi. Cabbies only charge HK$5 per pet, but drivers can refuse to carry them. In contrast, many locations in Europe allow pets on buses, ferries and trains. Britain, the United States and South Korea permit pets on public transport if they are kept in carriers or bags, while Japan and Taiwan allow animals in carriers on certain rail systems. In July of last year, Secretary for Environment and Ecology Tse Chin-wan said authorities would balance factors such as compartment space, the behaviour of animals and the potential impact on other commuters before considering whether to relax restrictions. The government would also keep in mind all relevant suggestions while considering whether such a change was needed, he added.
South China Morning Post
01-03-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
What Hong Kong tourism can learn from Disneyland's magical turnaround
It's not often that a business turnaround stuns the public, but the recent announcement from Hong Kong Disneyland Resort is nothing short of extraordinary. After nearly a decade of losses, the theme park has reported a record net profit and all-time high visitor numbers. Advertisement How did it turn its fortunes around? What seems magical was a carefully crafted strategy of investing in Disney's intellectual property (IP) – such as with the launch of World of Frozen – and a bold move towards higher pricing. This formula not only boosted attendance but enhanced revenue – showing that in the current climate, it is high-end tourism, not budget travel, that holds the key to success. For its last financial year, Hong Kong Disneyland posted a record revenue of HK$8.8 billion (US$1.13 billion), a surge of 54 per cent year on year. Its net profit of HK$838 million was an astonishing turnaround from the previous year's net loss of HK$356 million. More visited and spent more at the park – there were a record-breaking 7.7 million visitors, up 21 per cent, while per capita spending grew by 28 per cent. The hotel utilisation rate climbed from 77 per cent to 88 per cent. This success is extraordinary considering the park's financial struggles since opening in 2005. As legislator Michael Tien Puk-sun noted, aside from the latest results, Hong Kong Disneyland had made a profit for only three years in its nearly two decades. In the previous nine years, from 2015 to 2023, accumulated losses exceeded HK$8 billion. For a long time, Disneyland was seen as a financial black hole. Advertisement So what changed? According to management, one key driver was the strong rebound in visitors. Mainland visitors now made up 38 per cent of the total, from 24 per cent, while overseas visitors doubled to 22 per cent. In contrast, local visitors fell from 65 per cent to 40 per cent.
South China Morning Post
23-02-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong's Disneyland rebounds to record profit after 9 years in the red: lawmaker
Hong Kong Disneyland Resort has returned to profit for the first time in nine years with a record performance, according to a lawmaker who quoted the theme park as saying it had no immediate need to seek public funds for further expansion. Advertisement Legislator and Roundtable convenor Michael Tien Puk-sun revealed on Sunday after meeting Disneyland's management that the theme park had ended its ninth straight year of losses. The theme park rebounded to a net profit in the year ending September 30, 2024 that was double the figure of 2013-14, its best year. This means the theme park could have earned at least HK$664 million (US$85.5 million) last year, based on the HK$332 million figure for 2013-14. Tien added that revenue jumped more than 50 per cent and the company's earnings before interest, taxes and amortisation (Ebitda) more than doubled in the financial year ending September 2024, compared with a year ago. He also said Disneyland's visitor numbers grew by over 1 million last year, led by the return of mainland tourists and strong growth of Southeast Asia customers. Advertisement However, numbers among Hongkongers, who used to be the park's main source of visitors, were down sharply in light of the trend of residents crossing the border to spend in mainland China.
