Around 190 teams set to compete in HK International Dragon Boat Races

Around 190 teams and 4,500 athletes are set to compete in the upcoming Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, a flagship sports extravaganza co-organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and the Hong Kong China Dragon Boat Association (HKCDBA) and title-sponsored by Sun Life.

The event comes as part of HKTB's “Hong Kong cultural beat” campaign, highlighting the city's rich calendar of traditional festivals and cultural events. The initiative aims to showcase local heritage while offering immersive experiences for both residents and international visitors.

Running from 31 May to 8 June, the festival will transform Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade into a day-and-night dragon boat carnival, featuring a festive dragon boat food lane, where 10 stalls will serve dragon boat-themed delicacies for nine consecutive days. This year’s competition expects to have 190 teams and 4,500 athletes battling it out across 19 races on 7 and 8 June.

Elite teams from 12 countries and regions will vie for glory on the iconic waters of Victoria Harbour, including Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland, Macau, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, and debutants Egypt and Qatar.

On the race weekend of 7 to 8 June, the carnival will expand to the Urban Council Centenary Garden in Tsim Sha Tsui East to spread the festive spirit through the city. A zone will host live broadcasts on RTHK TV 32 of the races and the HKTB has teamed up with San Miguel Brewery Hong Kong to set up a Beer Garden offering several varieties of local draught beer.

Furthermore, festive photo spots will be set up featuring Ocean Park Hong Kong’s giant pandas An An, Ke Ke, Ying Ying and Le Le, alongside the twin cubs elder sister and little brother. A special pop-up store will offer a selection of panda-themed merchandise. Visitors who make purchases at the food lane stalls will receive a complimentary panda-themed sticker pack containing two designs from a collection of 10, while stocks last.

Visitors can visit HKTB Visitor Centres in Hong Kong International Airport, Tsim Sha Tsui Star Ferry Pier and Hong Kong West Kowloon Station, or the beer voucher collection for visitors on the East Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade and redeem vouchers for one complimentary draught beer in the Beer Garden. Beer vouchers will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Each tourist can acquire the voucher once only.

Adding to the excitement, this year’s event introduces a new secondary schools championship, encouraging young athletes to engage with Hong Kong’s intangible cultural heritage. Meanwhile, the adrenaline-fueled disciplinary forces championship will return, featuring intense showdowns between teams from Hong Kong’s disciplined and auxiliary services.

In addition to street music performances, the carnival will feature exciting flash mob acrobatic performances by Cirque du Soleil from Canada. To further enhance the experience, the HKTB has partnered with the Tsim Sha Tsui East Property Developers Association to offer exclusive shopping and dining deals for over 20 nearby shops, including dining discounts of up to 30% at hotels.

To maximise the campaign’s visibility, the HKTB is rolling out a comprehensive strategy across digital and physical platforms. The dragon boat races are being promoted extensively on DiscoverHongKong’s social media channels and through partnerships with influencers from Mainland China and Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, tourist hotspots such as the Central mid-levels escalator will feature dragon boat-themed decorations, immersing the city in the festival spirit.

HKTB executive director Dane Cheng said, “We have taken innovation to new heights this year by transforming the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races into an immersive dayand-night dragon boat carnival. The event offers visitors and locals a blend of cultural activities and celebrations steeped in Hong Kong’s east-meets-west heritage, enriching the city’s potential for mega-event tourism. We are delighted the event has secured prestigious title sponsorship once again this year, and we are confident our traditional festive events will resonate deeply with spectators. Looking ahead, we will continue to build closer partnerships with the business community to drive the success of such events and unlock even greater economic benefits for our city.”

HKCDBA chairman Arnold Chung said, “We are overjoyed to collaborate with the HKTB once again this year to host the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races on the Tsim Sha Tsui East Promenade. As one of the highest-standard international dragon boat competitions with a long and storied history, this event attracts athletes from around the world. The HKCDBA remains steadfast in its commitment to promoting the culture and spirit of dragon boat racing, bringing traditional festive customs to the international arena, and supporting the growth of dragon boating in Hong Kong and overseas.”

Sun Life CEO Clement Lam said, “Dragon boat racing is not just a traditional festival activity, but also a vivid embodiment of unity, collaboration, and unyielding spirit. Sun Life has been rooted in Hong Kong for over 130 years and has been sponsoring dragon boat events for the past 16 years. This year, we are honoured to collaborate with the HKTB as the title sponsor of the ‘Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races’ for the first time. This event will allow global dragon boat athletes to compete on Hong Kong's iconic Victoria Harbour.”

He added, “While preserving this traditional culture, the event also embodies Sun Life's determination to move forward together and advance in the face of challenges. Through this event, we hope to encourage the public to adopt healthy lifestyles and bring a positive impact to the community.”

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