Chen Maobo: The exhibition economy in Hong Kong is driving the growth of visitors to the city, and its status as an aviation hub continues to be strengthened.

Hong Kong's Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po recently stated in a blog post that the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and AsiaWorld-Expo, the two flagship venues, hosted over 170 events in the first half of this year, attracting around 3.5 million participants. In the first seven months of this year, the number of visitors to Hong Kong reached 31.22 million, an increase of 12% year-on-year. Paul Chan Mo-po pointed out that the key factors for Hong Kong's success in becoming a hub for conferences and exhibitions include its role as a gateway connecting mainland China and international markets, its well-developed commerce, and the efficient and convenient international transportation advantages. Currently, about 140 airlines operate flights to and from Hong Kong, linking over 225 destinations worldwide and creating an efficient and convenient air transport network. In the first half of this year, the number of aircraft movements at Hong Kong International Airport exceeded 200,000, an increase of 4.4% year-on-year; passenger traffic at the airport reached 32.8 million, representing an 11.7% year-on-year increase. Paul Chan Mo-po also mentioned that the departure facilities at the newly opened Terminal 2, which started operations in May this year, are already hosting 15 airlines, and it is expected to handle approximately 8 million passengers in its first year, further enhancing the airport's capacity to manage departing passenger flow. As of June this year, the "Easy Boarding" service has covered about 80% of departing passengers at the airport. He stated that the government will further consolidate and enhance Hong Kong's status as an international aviation hub and inject new vitality into the linked development of other relevant economic sectors.