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The Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies (HKIAPS) at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) hosted the final forum of the “35^th Anniversary Celebration Public Policy Forum Series” today (18 July). The event attracted over 60 local politicians, scholars and members of the public to the campus, while nearly 120 viewers joined via livestream and participated in discussions.

Officiating at the forum were Mr Raistlin Lau Chun, JP, Under Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism in the Hong Kong government, and Professor Anthony Fung Ying-him, CUHK’s Dean of Social Science and Director of HKIAPS, with both delivering opening remarks.

In this new era of integrated cultural tourism development, the cultural tourism and sports industries have become key drivers of urban economic transformation and international image enhancement. The event provided a platform for professionals to share insights and policy recommendations on Hong Kong’s cultural tourism and sports development, contributing to building the city into an international metropolis ideal for living, working and travelling.

The forum examined crucial topics including Hong Kong’s strategic positioning in cultural tourism, pathways to overcome development bottlenecks, innovative models for leveraging culture and sports to upgrade the tourism industry, and tourism enhancement through the northern metropolis development plan. The discussions aimed to equip young participants with innovative thinking to advance high-quality development in Hong Kong’s cultural tourism and sports sectors.

Four distinguished speakers shared their expertise  (according to the order of speeches): Professor Lisa Wan Chun-ying, Associate Professor in CUHK’s School of Hotel and Tourism Management, provided an in-depth analysis of Hong Kong’s tourism advantages and strategic development blueprint; Mr Jason Wong Chun-tat, Executive Director of the Hong Thai Enterprises Company Limited, explored industry collaboration and promotional strategies from a practitioner’s perspective; Dr Lobo Louie Hung-tak, Senior Lecturer in the Department of Health and Physical Education at The Education University of Hong Kong, elaborated on how sport can boost Hong Kong tourism; and The Honourable Chan Yuet-ming, MH, a member of the Legislative Council, shared insights on how the northern metropolis development plan can support Hong Kong tourism.

The forum served as a multidimensional platform for dialogue among policymakers, academics and the public. It deepened societal understanding of how Hong Kong can seize strategic opportunities under the nation’s 14^th Five-Year Plan, while also strengthening consensus on how to address the dual challenges of intensifying regional competition and industrial upgrading. The forum also sought to broaden the policy perspectives of the younger generation by imparting professional knowledge of national strategies and global trends, nurturing future governance talents with the decision-making capabilities to tackle complex, multifaceted challenges.