Quick takes

2025-26 HK Budget released

Financial Secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), Paul Chan, released the 2025-26 Budget on Wednesday, introducing measures for technological innovation to empower industrial development and facilitate the growth of SMEs and start-ups. The government will also identify suitable sites for developing convention and exhibition facilities in the Northern Metropolis.

Peter Lam renamed as HKTB Chairman

The Hong Kong SAR Government appointed Dr Peter Lam Kin-ngok as the Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), succeeding Dr Pang Yiu-kai, with effect from 1st April 2025. Dr Lam has been a member of HKTB since 2007 and served as Chairman from 2013 to 2019. With his experience in the tourism and commercial sectors and extensive network, he will bring insights and build upon its achievement exploring new source markets and visitor segments, and also developing more diversified tourism products to create business opportunities, inject impetus into economy, to further strengthen Hong Kong’s international status as a world-class travel destination.

Visitor arrivals to Macau up 27% in January 2025

Macau’s Statistics and Census Service (DSEC) released its latest visitor arrivals figures for January 2025. Visitor arrivals to Macau in January increased by 27% year-on-year, with visitor arrivals of 3,646,561. During January, same-day visitors (2,155,279) jumped 46%, while overnight visitors (1,491,282) grew by 7.9%.

Asia Photonics Expo 2025 opens with 344 exhibitors

Asia Photonics Expo (APE) 2025 opened its door at Sands Expo and Convention Centre in Singapore, running from 26th to 28th February, showcasing the latest advancements in optical communications, optics, lasers, sensing, quantum technology, and displays. Under the theme of “Gateway to the Photonics Markets in Asia”, APE 2025 featured 344 exhibitors from 16 countries and regions, covering an exhibition area of 15,000 m2. It is expected to attract over 5,000 industry professionals.