Hong Kong Journalists Association cancels annual dinner after 2 hotels axe booking

Hong Kong’s largest journalism group has been forced to “temporarily” cancel its annual fundraising dinner after a second hotel in a week pulled out from hosting the event, with the group’s chairwoman suggesting the venues had faced “political pressure”.

In an email sent to attendees on Thursday and seen by the Post, the Hong Kong Journalists Association (HKJA) Executive Committee said the Eaton HK informed the group a day before that the hotel in Kowloon was unable to host the event.

The dinner, which was slated for next Monday, was earlier delayed by more than a week after the Regal Hongkong Hotel in Causeway Bay told the group last Thursday it had to cancel the booking due to “serious damage” to part of the hotel’s power supply causing an “unstable and intermittent” supply.

The association’s email said no reason was given for the latest cancellation.

“It is regrettable that, two times in a row in a short period of time, HKJA has had contracted bookings – for which deposits were paid and documents signed – cancelled by the venue,” the association email read.

“Due to the cancellation of our bookings by Regal and Eaton hotels, our annual fundraising dinner will be cancelled temporarily. HKJA will arrange refunds for our guests.”

Speaking to reporters outside the Eaton HK on Thursday, HKJA chairwoman Selina Cheng Kar-yue said that while the group was disappointed, it was “not entirely surprised”, citing previous last-minute cancellations the union had faced.