Bars gearing up for bumper Hong Kong Sevens weekend
Bar operators dismiss concerns that higher airfares because of Middle East war will deter rugby fans from visiting city
Business magnate and Lan Kwai Fong Group chairman Allan Zeman told the South China Morning Post that the loyal following of the flagship tournament, which runs from Friday to Sunday at the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Stadium, transcended travel cost spikes.
“Even though the airfare is a little bit more, a fan is a fan. They’ll find a way, it’s different than just going on a holiday or that kind of thing. For some people, no matter what it costs, ‘I can’t miss the Sevens.’ It’s a tradition,” Zeman said on Thursday.
He also said he was not concerned about visitors being budget-conscious, likening it to the Formula One races in Singapore, where people spent “fortunes” and did whatever it took to be there because there “is a lot of business done”.
The famed rugby tournament, which traditionally draws tens of thousands of overseas visitors annually, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. Organisers said fewer than 1,000 three-day tickets were left, with more than 45,000 spectators expected to attend every day.
Jacky Kwok, manager of Italian restaurant and bar Baci in Lan Kwai Fong, said he expected business to increase by at least 40 per cent over usual weekends. Baci had been hired for a private event on Friday night and was hosting a Sevens after-party on Saturday, he said.