Mega Events: What’s Next for Hong Kong and Young People?
Summary
- Youth I.D.E.A.S., the youth think tank established by the Youth Research Centre of The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups (HKFYG), today (5 March) releases findings from its study, titled “Mega Events: What’s Next for Hong Kong and Young People?”
- Based on in-person questionnaires with 520 local young people aged 15 to 34 conducted from 10 to 14 December 2025, and follow-up interviews with 15 respondents and five subject experts, the study finds broad support for Hong Kong’s mega events yet moderate confidence in the city’s status as “Events Capital of Asia”
Key findings:
- Importance and relevance —2% of respondents see mega events as important for social development; 79.4% say the events feel personally relevant to them; 74.2% agree that attending mega events can strengthen their sense of belonging to Hong Kong
- Participation and attendance — 9% of respondents attended at least one event as a visitor or spectator in 2025, over half of whom spent between HK$1,000 and HK$2,999
- Respondents most commonly define mega events as internationally renowned (27.3%), large-scale (21.5%), widely reported by the media (17.9%) and open to the public (17.1%)
- Interviewees said mega events help drive the local economy and build the city’s image; they cited the recent Jiao Festival in Kam Tin, Yuen Long, where bamboo scaffolding showcased Hong Kong’s unique folk culture; in their view, successful events require international visibility and high-level, strategic planning
- Volunteering and professional development — Despite interest in volunteering (42.3%) and professional development (49.6%), only a few actually became volunteers (1.7%), competitors (3.7%), performers (1.5%), part-time staff (3.1%), full-time staff (0.6%) or interns (0.4%)
- Interviewees attributed this gap to the common perception that mega events are tied to short-term consumption and entertainment; in fact, sports events, for instance, can offer rewarding opportunities in areas such as data analytics and health management
- Volunteers described their experience as unique, saying they felt proud to have received specialised training in crowd management, emergency response and guest reception; they also noted that recruitment information was hard to come by, as they only heard about the opportunity by chance
- Reservations and concerns — respondents are moderately confident that Hong Kong can maintain its reputation as “Events Capital of Asia,” with a confidence score averaging 6.8 out of 10; 29.8% expect mega events to improve the city’s international image
- Interviewees raised concerns that “mega events” are defined too broadly, with smaller events falling into the category and undermining the brand’s value; experts also pointed to the need for a strategic vision to orchestrate city-wide campaigns
- If given the opportunity to play a bigger role at mega events, respondents would like to be involved in marketing and promotion (23.7%), guest services (14.4%) and programme design (14.0%)
Recommendations:
- Introduction of an Official Hong Kong Mega Events Logo, serving as a quality mark for qualifying events, as information is currently scattered
- The design of the official logo should be created through an open competition, where young people can contribute works that blend global perspectives with local elements
- Establishment of a One-Stop Mega Events Talent Platform as a skills- and experience-based information hub to harness young people’s untapped potential, translating enthusiasm into long-term human capital
- Establishment of a Mega Events Development Office, to enhance Hong Kong’s competitiveness as major infrastructure comes into place; this can help improve resource integration, brand export and talent succession, and enable youth co-creation and empowerment through government-funded programmes