Hong Kong shopping centres live-streaming the Paris Olympics have said they expect a 15 per cent sales boost over the course of the event compared with the same period last year as the city won its first gold medal.
Sports fans flocked to shopping centres on Saturday and stayed into the early hours of Sunday to cheer on the city’s athletes – including fencing queen Vivian Kong Man-wei, who took top spot on the podium in the women’s épée event.
Sino Land’s Olympian City drew the crowds with an artificial grass area in front of a big screen in the atrium.
Cheung King-yeung, 38, a marketing officer and father-of-two, said he spent HK$1,000 (US$128) more at the centre than on a normal Sunday because he wanted to enjoy the Games as part of a crowd.
“When the family goes out to have fun, spending doesn’t have to be a big concern,” he said.
“Just taking a family of four out for two meals already costs more than HK$1,000, excluding the snacks and bubble tea my kids are buying.
“Even though the expenses exceed the usual amount, the games happen only once every four years.
“If everyone is willing to spend a little more, the Hong Kong market will thrive.”
The live-streaming boosted the footfall in shopping centres across the city.
Fiona Chung Sau-Lin of property firm Sun Hung Kai Real Estate (Sales and Leasing) Agency said it expected a 20 per cent year-on-year increase in footfall and a 15 per cent jump in sales over the 2 ½ weeks of competition.
Hundreds of people packed the concourse at the company’s Kwun Tong APM shopping centre and the floors above to watch the Games live.
Gavin Tam Cheuk-fan, accompanied by his wife and daughter, three, returned to APM for a second day in a row on Sunday because of the Paris Olympics and spent HK$1,500 on lunch and clothes.
Tam, who is in his thirties and works in finance, said the family’s expenditure at the shopping centre was far more than their normal weekend spend of HK$250.
White collar worker Susan Tse Wing-po, 39, her husband and three children, also spent more than usual as they usually only visited the shopping centre to eat.
Tse said the family had brunch and did some clothes shopping for the children.
She added the family spent HK$2,000 before they settled down to watch the Games in the atrium.
Tse said the family would normally spend HK$250 on a meal and then go window shopping.
“It is an occasion that brings Hong Kong people closer as a community because we want to support our athletes and give them the encouragement they need,” Tse said.
The Central Market on Hong Kong Island, one of the few outdoor locations for live-streaming sport events, was not as busy, partly because of the bad weather.
Sebastian Smith, 43, an Australian resident who works in investment banking, said he would continue to visit the Central Market with friends to enjoy the sports extravaganza.
“It’s all about spending time with your friends and family watching the Olympic Games,” Smith said.
“There is a wonderful atmosphere here. I can always buy drinks from a convenience store nearby, although the bars and restaurants are closed after midnight.”
But Oliver Gellongoa, an assistant manager at Stormies, a bar and restaurant at the market, said business was at a similar level to normal weekends.
“There’s an opportunity in this location to really build and make great business because of the space that we have here,” he added. “But the only problem is the weather and the humidity.”
