Pilot Scheme for Characteristic Local Tourism Events

The Hong Kong Tourism Board is now inviting applications for the 21st round of the Pilot Scheme for Characteristic Local Tourism Events ("Pilot Scheme") to support tourism activities that showcase Hong Kong's local characteristics and have the potential to generate good branding for Hong Kong.

The Pilot Scheme provides funding support for event staging, marketing and promotion for visitor-targeted events that are related to arts, culture, festivals, dining and sports. It aims to support events that embody unique local characteristics, create an effective branding impact, attract visitors to Hong Kong and enhance their travel experience, while continuously enriching Hong Kong's event calendar.

Eligibility

The applicant must be a Hong Kong-registered non-profit organisation (i.e. a local, bona-fide, non-profit organisation, such as a sports or non-governmental organisation, arts association or chamber of commerce) that will host an arts, culture, dining or sports event or festival ("the Event") in Hong Kong on one or more days from 1 August 2025 to 31 July 2026.


The applicant must be the organiser of the Event, and the proposed Event in the application must:

  1. Incorporate Hong Kong's local characteristics or unique attributes.
  2. Attract total onsite attendance (including local and non-local attendees) of 5,000 or more (actual number based on the funding level), at least 10% of whom are non-local visitors.
  3. Incur a total event cost of no less than HK$2 million (excluding in-kind sponsorship).
  4. Attract media coverage, create a branding impact, have tourism appeal and enrich the travel experience of in-town visitors.

How to Apply

Applicants should carefully read the Guide to Application and other essential documents listed below. The completed application form and relevant supporting documents should be submitted in person or by post to the Pilot Scheme Secretariat Office by 12:00 noon, 28 February 2025. If the application is submitted by post, the postmark date must be no later than 28 February 2025. Applications sent by fax or email will not be accepted.

Please refer to the following documents for details:

Guide to Application

Guide to Application (PDF)

Application Form

1. Application Form (PDF)
2. Event Targets, Budget & Cash flow (Excel)

Assessment Criteria

Assessment Criteria (PDF)

Contact Us

Applicants may contact the Secretariat at +852 8120 0037 during business hours (9am to 5:30pm from Monday to Friday, except public holidays) or by email at eventsupport@hktb.com for enquiries and assistance.

 

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Completed Events

Title of Event Organiser Event Date#
2024 Hong Kong Drum Festival
One Beat, One World: Connecting Through the Drum
Drum Carnival And 5G Live Concert

 

Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra

 

8 Dec 2024

HKGNA Music Festival 2024 ‘Musical Inspirations!’ Hong Kong Generation Next Arts 19 – 30 Nov 2024
Tai Hang Fire Dragon Tai Hang Residents' Welfare Association 16 – 18 Sep 2024
Yu Lan Cultural Festival 2024 Federation of Hong Kong Chiu Chow Community Organizations Charity Funds Limited 23 – 25 Aug 2024
Ap Lei Chau Hung Shing Culture Festival 2024 Apleichau Kai Fong Tung Hing Association 10 – 25 Mar 2024
Hong Kong Dragon and Lion Dance Extravaganza 2024 Hong Kong Dragon and Lion Festival Preparatory Committee 1 Jan 2024
Hong Kong Streetathon 2023 RunOurCity Foundation Limited 17 Dec 2023
The 20th Anniversary of Hong Kong Drum Festival Hong Kong Chinese Orchestra Limited 7 – 22 Oct 2023
Yu Lan Cultural Festival 2023 Federation of Hong Kong Chiu Chow Community Organizations Charity Funds Limited 1 – 3 Sep 2023
Ap Lei Chau Hung Shing Culture Festival 2023 Apleichau Kai Fong Tung Hing Association 19 Feb – 6 Mar 2023
Tick Tock, Tick Tock First Initiative Foundation Limited 17 Nov 2022 – 1 Jan 2023
HKGNA Music Festival 2022 “Music on the Harbourfront” Hong Kong Generation Next Arts Limited 18 – 20 Nov 2022
“Tai O Let’s Go!” Tai O Cultural Festival 2021 The Hong Kong Federation of Youth Groups 24 – 27 Dec 2021
Hong Kong International Photo Festival 2021 Hong Kong Photographic Culture Association Limited 15 Oct 2021 – 2 Jan 2022
Ap Lei Chau Hung Shing Culture Festival 2019 Apleichau Kai Fong Tung Hing Association 17 – 23 Mar 2019
Yu Lan Cultural Festival 2018 Federation of Hong Kong Chiu Chow Community Organizations Charity Funds Limited 24 – 26 Aug 2018

# Any changes to event information shall be subject to the announcement by relevant organisations.