HK Wine & Dine Festival draws 163,000 visitors

The just-concluded four-day Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival saw a total of 163,000 visitors, representing a 30% increase in average daily attendance, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB).

Organised annually by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) and co-organised by the Bordeaux Wine Council (CIVB), this year's festival extended its opening hours to midnight for the first time. Several merchants reported a 40-50% increase in business from last year, attributing the rise in both footfall and spending to the extended hours. 

Additionally, the average daily number of tasting tokens sold rose by nearly 40% compared to last year.

Drawing a global audience from more than 30 countries and regions—including mainland China, the US, Canada, the UK, Australia, and Germany—the festival hosted over 300 booths. These were divided between wine (70%) and gourmet cuisine (30%).

The event was also sponsored by brands such as The Bank of East Asia (BEA) and Towngas. Exhibitors in the BEA Grand Wine Pavilion—where wine lovers could explore the nuances of winemaking and purchase limited-edition vintages at a discount under expert guidance—reported double-digit growth from the previous edition. This increase was supported by the extended hours and enriched programming.

The festival also ventured into the intellectual property (IP) sector through a partnership with Water Parade. The "Water Parade X Wine & Dine: Victoria Harbour Playful Delights" collaboration featured specialty desserts inspired by popular IPs.

Don’t miss: HKTB promotes Wine & Dine Festival with AI-powered campaign

Rosanna Law, secretary for culture, sports and tourism, said, “This year’s Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival has achieved impressive growth in both attendance and spending, delivering outstanding results. I extend my sincere gratitude to the entire HKTB team for their unwavering dedication in successfully organising the event and achieving remarkable outcomes, which fully demonstrates its popularity among both locals and visitors.”

“The Wine & Dine Festival further solidifies Hong Kong’s status as a ‘City of gastronomy’, while also boosting the overall consumption atmosphere. Moreover, it allows residents and visitors to rediscover the vibrant charm of Hong Kong’s nightlife, fully leveraging the economic benefits of mega events,” she added. 

Peter Lam, HKTB chairman, said, “We are delighted to see so many locals and visitors enthusiastically participating in the four-day Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival, driving robust spending. This outstanding success is attributable to support from the Hong Kong government, particularly for extending the event hours until midnight, which significantly boosted overall participation and sales.”

“We are deeply grateful for the government and merchants’ participation and promotion, as well as the support from locals and visitors. The event’s success underscores Hong Kong’s unique appeal as a destination that brings together fine wines and cuisines from around the world. HKTB will continue to build on this momentum to present more exciting events in the future,” he added.

For this year's festival, the HKTB launched its first AI-powered digital campaign to engage travellers throughout their decision-making journey. Developed in partnership with Dentsu and StackAdapt, the campaign adopted a full funnel media strategy that connects with travellers from inspiration to booking.

Dentsu Hong Kong unified its media innovation and AI capabilities to craft a strategy that connects travellers from inspiration to booking. To maximise impact, the brand partnered with StackAdapt to integrate advanced tools to help HKTB track overall tourism lift and physical attendance at the festival.

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