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HKTB Taps Hong Kong Sevens’ 50th Anniversary to Promote Hong Kong as the “Events Capital of Asia”

HONG KONG, April 17, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Cathay/HSBC Hong Kong Sevens is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. By bundling a series of mega events under the promotional platform “Hong Kong Mega 8”, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is showcasing to global audiences Hong Kong’s diverse and vibrant appeal as the “Events Capital of Asia” to attract visitors to the city. As a long-time supporter of this world-class sporting event, HKTB is introducing China-made robots previously featured on CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala to perform and cheer at the opening ceremony, offering audiences worldwide a fresh experience that brings together sports, innovative technology and culture.

Dr Peter Lam, HKTB Chairman, said, “This year marks a significant milestone for the Hong Kong Sevens as it celebrates its 50th anniversary. Over the past half-century, the Hong Kong Sevens has witnessed the development of rugby in Hong Kong, while also becoming a major annual international sporting event that draws worldwide attention, successfully attracting visitors from around the world to be part of it. With the strong support of China Media Group, HKTB has arranged for China-made robots previously featured in CCTV’s Spring Festival Gala to appear as special guest performers, adding a new highlight to the event. While enjoying world-class rugby, audiences can also experience the global-leading capabilities of China’s robotics, as well as Hong Kong's distinctive charm as the ‘Events Capital of Asia’, where sports, innovative technology and culture come together.”
        
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law said: “I am very grateful to Hong Kong China Rugby and the Hong Kong Tourism Board for their efforts in adding so many exciting elements to this year’s 50th anniversary of the Hong Kong Sevens. The robots’ performance was truly fun and full of energy. I hope local and visiting fans will come together this weekend to join the Hong Kong Sevens party.”

Blending tradition with innovative elements, the opening performance of the 50th edition was packed with highlights. Following a dragon dance, 10 robots teamed up seamlessly with a cheerleading squad, kicking off the event with dynamic choreography and precise coordination, hyping up the crowd in the stadium.

Immediately following the innovative cheerleading performance, lasers danced across the Main Stadium pitch, displaying the participating nations over the years, the names of legendary Sevens players, and the effect of twin dragons soaring over Hong Kong, celebrating 50 years of golden development for the Hong Kong Sevens. The closing ceremony on Sunday will feature a spectacular pyrotechnic display launched from the stadium roof, bringing the three-day tournament to a dazzling finale.

Robots produced by Chinese Mainland company Unitree Robotics perform as special guests at the opening ceremony of the Hong Kong Sevens.

HKTB also brought the robots to the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui and the East Coast Boardwalk in North Point to film promotional footage showcasing Hong Kong.

For overseas promotion, HKTB partnered with the Hong Kong China Rugby (HKCR) to invite a number of international key opinion leaders (KOLs) to visit Hong Kong and experience the mega-event appeal of the Hong Kong Sevens. Among them were three athletes who appeared in Netflix Korea’s Physical: 100 – Noh Sung-yul, a South Korean fitness YouTuber with over 10 million followers; artist Justin John Harvey; and well-known actor Lee Jae-yoon. In addition to appearing at Kai Tak Sports Park and the Hong Kong Sevens Fan Village to experience the event’s vibrant atmosphere, the trio explored various Hong Kong landmarks and checked out a series of distinctive experiences combining fitness challenges with local food culture, filming promotional content for HKTB and expanding the international exposure of both the Hong Kong Sevens and Hong Kong tourism. At the same time, HKTB invited partners from the local travel trade, the MICE (meetings, incentive travels, conventions and exhibitions) and cruise sectors, and overseas travel agency representatives and media, to attend the event to witness this annual international sporting highlight and experience Hong Kong’s charm as the “Events Capital of Asia”.

Members of the media can download the photos and videos from the following link:
https://assetlibrary.hktb.com/assetbank-hktb/action/browseItems?categoryId=2402&categoryTypeId=2　

For media inquiries, please contact:

Mr Cameron Tong Tel: 2807 6367                Email: [email protected]
Mr Chokie Cheng Tel: 2807 6342                Email: [email protected]

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d0cc62f7-1664-44e2-9a1a-2cf813eb1ad3

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/83545924-55d4-4da7-b005-2105354cd985

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/585cd706-2a8e-4b1c-930f-007251131c0a


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 9692113)

Hong Kong Restaurants Claim Top Two Spots in Asia’s 50 Best

HONG KONG, March 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Following last year’s “The World’s 50 Best Bars” Award Ceremony in Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) this year brought the “Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026” Awards Ceremony to Hong Kong for the first time. The event today (25 March) brought together over 1,000 culinary industry representatives, renowned chefs and media worldwide. Top local Cantonese restaurant The Chairman and contemporary Cantonese restaurant Wing secured first and second places respectively on the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026 list, once again highlighting the leading position of Hong Kong’s dining scene in Asia.

HKTB Chairman Dr Peter Lam said: “We extend our sincere gratitude to the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants team for selecting Hong Kong for the first time as the host city for the Awards Ceremony. This international award recognises the outstanding achievements of the culinary sector. I am very proud of Hong Kong’s remarkable accomplishments in this year’s Awards. Together with the ‘MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2026’ and ‘The Black Pearl Restaurant Guide’, over 200 restaurants have been listed in these internationally acclaimed gourmet guides, reaffirming Hong Kong’s position as a “Culinary Capital” in Asia. We are delighted to welcome the esteemed Asian chefs and other culinary professionals attending the Awards Ceremony to Hong Kong, and we warmly invite everyone to explore the city’s unique and diverse gastronomic charm by following the master chefs’ curated recommendations featured in the citywide ‘Taste Hong Kong’ Gourmet Guide.”

Danny Yip, owner of The Chairman, said “Being named The Best Restaurant in Asia for the second time is a huge honour for our entire team, and to achieve it here in Hong Kong makes it even more meaningful. This recognition — as well as the strong results for the city on this year’s list — reflects the depth and diversity that define Hong Kong’s dining culture today. It’s a privilege to represent our city in this way and to continue sharing the traditions and stories that shape our cuisine.”

Hong Kong Leads Asia Culinary Landscape with Two Restaurants in the Top Three

Together with the previously announced extended list of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants (51th – 100th), a total of ten Hong Kong restaurants were recommended in the Asian edition of the prestigious list. These include six restaurants in the top 50: while The Chairman and Wing topped the list at first and second spots, Neighborhood (No. 24), Estro (No. 32), Caprice (No. 35), and Mono (No.46) stayed strong on the list. Four other restaurants were also featured in the extended list, namely Ta Vie (No. 68), Vea (No. 70), Andō (No. 88), and Amber (No. 90). With this stellar performance, Hong Kong reaffirmed its leading position in the regional culinary scene. The winning restaurants cover a diverse range of cuisines, demonstrating Hong Kong’s unique appeal as a melting pot of global flavours and a hub for star-rated dining establishments.

In the recently announced “Black Pearl Restaurant Guide”, the number of Hong Kong entries increased to 39, up from last year, including four first-time entries – Mosu Hong Kong, founded by three-Michelin-star South Korean chef Sung Anh; Jee, a Cantonese-French fusion restaurant; contemporary Indian restaurant Leela, and Cantonese fine-dining establishment Man Ho Chinese Restaurant. In addition, homegrown chef Vicky Cheng of Chinese-French restaurant VEA, and Terry Ho, Chef de Cuisine of French restaurant Amber, received the Master Chef Award and the Young Chef Award respectively in the Black Pearl Restaurant Guide, affirming the distinguished reputation of Hong Kong’s culinary talent in the Asian dining scene. In the “MICHELIN Guide Hong Kong Macau 2026”, more Hong Kong establishments were awarded MICHELIN stars than in the previous year, bringing a total to 77 Michelin-starred restaurants in one destination, further demonstrating the world-class standard of the city’s culinary scene.

Top Asian Chefs and Global Media Gather in Hong Kong to Experience the City’s Culinary

Capitalising on the opportunity presented by major culinary event being hosted in Hong Kong, HKTB arranged exchanges between leading Asian chefs and renowned local culinary talent, enabling them to experience the city’s diverse gastronomic offerings and produce promotional videos dedicated to “Taste Hong Kong”. In addition, HKTB leveraged its global network to invite media representatives from the Chinese Mainland, Taiwan, South Korea, Southeast Asia and other key markets to visit Hong Kong. In addition to attending the award ceremony for media coverage of the event, HKTB curated a series of immersive culinary experiences to fully showcase Hong Kong’s unique charm as a Culinary Capital.

Highlights of the itinerary included engaging with local master chef Vicky Cheng to gain firsthand insight into his exceptional culinary skills and cooking philosophy; participating in a dim sum workshop led by master chef Wong Lung-to, Executive Chef of Forum Restaurant, to learn how to make classic Cantonese dim sum such as siu mai (Cantonese pork dumplings) and har gow (shrimp dumplings); and joining an egg tart baking workshop. Media representatives were also invited to dine at several listed restaurants and visit emerging bars to experience Hong Kong’s diverse food and beverage culture in full. Through in-depth media coverage, the media trip will help promote Hong Kong’s distinctive culinary appeal to audiences worldwide, attracting more visitors to explore “Taste Hong Kong” and further consolidating the city’s status as a Culinary Capital.

11 Exclusive Collaborative Signature Sessions around the Awards Ceremony to Share Hong Kong’s Gastronomic Experiences

To encourage locals and visitors to immerse themselves in the vibrant atmosphere surrounding the award ceremony, HKTB partnered with the organiser for the first time this year to invite 40 internationally renowned and local award-winning restaurants to present 11 limited-time collaborative Signature Sessions covering various global cuisines, bringing multiple tasting surprises to locals and visitors. The events attracted many locals and visitors, allowing everyone to experience the charm of global cuisines converging in Hong Kong at a single table.

Full results of Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants 2026:
https://www.theworlds50best.com/asia/en/list/1-50

Members of the media can download the press release and the photos from the following links:
Press release: https://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/hktb/newsroom/press-releases.html
Photos: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/19Klgl88mvnu39tK71nUkqtX3f9GOG5n2?usp=sharing

For media inquiries, please contact:

Ms Holly Chan
Tel: 2807 6206
Email: [email protected] 		 Ms Irene Tsang
Tel: 2807 6541
Email: [email protected]  
   

Photos accompanying this announcement are available at 

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9a1c70a5-1952-411e-a573-383b93e2869f

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/dc143291-d78b-4f50-81d7-6e6e4933d03e

https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6d1999bb-4156-474b-846e-3eb89f934ace


GLOBENEWSWIRE (Distribution ID 9679576)