Calls for night-time consumption vouchers ahead of 2026 Budget
發佈日期: 2026-02-21 22:45
TVB News
This year's Budget is set to be unveiled next Wednesday. Some lawmakers have proposed handing out night-time consumption vouchers to revitalise the city's evening economy. But not everyone thinks it's effective enough.
To stimulate the post-pandemic economy, the government launched the "Hong Kong Night Vibes" campaign in 2023, with Temple Street Night Market being one of its flagship projects.
On this weekday evening, Temple Street still draws a steady flow of visitors.
This citizen says in the past, it was still very busy after 10 p.m. Now, last orders are called at 9.
This woman says she usually cooks at home, or heads across the border to dine out up north which is much more affordable.
At this Chinese restaurant in Tsim Sha Tsui, the manager says occupancy now has dropped by at least 30 percent, compared with pre-pandemic times.
To cut costs, the restaurant closes two hours earlier than before.
In recent years, Hong Kong's catering and retail sectors have been hit by a wave of closures.
Some lawmakers propose that the government issue night-time consumption vouchers to encourage businesses to extend operating hours.
Lawmaker Johnny Ng says if shops open just two hours longer, people who go out -- say to catch a 9:30pm movie -- might stay for supper afterwards. Perhaps that could gradually improve the economy.
In recent years, the government has supported small and medium-sized enterprises through the SME Financing Guarantee Scheme.
However, the 100 percent government-guaranteed concessionary loans under the scheme have recorded a cumulative bad debt ratio of 18.5 percent, with more than 30 percent of defaulting companies facing liquidation.
Accountancy sector lawmaker Webster Ng says it may not be enough for the government to simply dole out money, as more importantly, industries need to understand what they truly require.
He says for example, digitalisation and big data integration can help SMEs better understand customer preferences.
