Meeting and event planning in Hong Kong means accessing Asia's trade capital, its leading financial and services center, premier international convention and meeting location and prime tourist destination. With many Hong Kong event venues set along the city’s harbor, groups can benefit from dazzling signature views, as well as the nightly lighting display. What may surprise groups is the city’s greenery: In fact, more than three quarters of Hong Kong is countryside and 40 percent designated as park land. Covering 425 square miles, which include Hong Kong Island, the Kowloon Peninsula and the New Territories, Hong Kong is a diverse mix of denser urban environment and sprawling countryside. Hong Kong's landscape mirrors its unique blend of Eastern and Western influences, diverse attractions and variety of unique venues.
Hong Kong is easily reached via the world-renowned Hong Kong International Airport. Ranked as the world's third-busiest international passenger airport and busiest international cargo facility, Hong Kong International served nearly 51 million passengers in 2010. Opened in 1998, Hong Kong International serves more than 95 airlines, with 900 daily flights to 160 worldwide destinations, including 45 destinations on the Chinese Mainland. The airport handles more than 200 flights from the United States each week and offers nonstop service from Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York and Chicago. Airport amenities include direct access to train, bus, taxi and hotel transportation. Getting around Hong Kong is affordable and relatively simple, thanks to the city's expansive public transportation system, which includes light rail, buses, trams and taxis, as well as private ferries. Most of Hong Kong's transportation options may be paid for using Octopus cards, electronic stored-value cards accepted not only on most public transport options, but also in many retail outlets and parking facilities.
Hong Kong International Airport is not only a center of transportation, but also the home of AsiaWorld-Expo, Asia's only ground-level, column-free, airport-integrated venue. AsiaWorld-Expo features a full range of meeting and conference facilities to accommodate small gatherings to events for more than 10,000 delegates. The center features more than 753,000 square feet of rentable space, including a 13,500-seat arena, 5,000-seat theater and the nearly 108,000-square-foot column-free AsiaWorld-Summit Hall for up to 5,000 guests.
Spanning Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong's Victoria Harbour has been key to the city's development as a trading port and financial and services center, as well as a spectacular convention and business travel location. Not only is the harbor a center of trade and commerce, but also one of Hong Kong's most treasured spaces and the location of many of the city's luxury hotels, attractions and the sprawling Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center (HKCEC). Hosting more top global exhibitions per year than any other center in Asia, HKCEC is known for its harborfront location and modern architecture with sweeping views of downtown. The largest center of its kind in Hong Kong, the HKCEC features nearly 985,000 square feet of rentable space, including six exhibition halls, two multi-purpose halls, two theaters for 336,637 guests and 52 meeting rooms. In fact, the HKCEC's 2009 expansion added nearly 209,000 square feet of space above Victoria Harbour. The HKCEC is located adjacent and connected to the Convention Plaza, which houses the 829-room Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong, the 553-room Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, a 39-story office tower, a 46-story apartment tower and a shopping arcade. What's more, the HKCEC is located within walking distance of 6,000 hotel rooms.
Beyond its spectacular AsiaWorld-Expo and HKCEC facilities, Hong Kong is home to a number of unique meeting and event venues. Known as Hong Kong's most popular attraction, Victoria Peak features a number of retail, shopping and entertainment options, all set on the tallest mountain on Hong Kong Island. The trip to Victoria Peak aboard the peak tram is an experience in itself; the tram climbs 1,200 feet on its eight-minute trip, making it the world's steepest funicular railway. Groups may rent private tram cars or hold functions in the Victoria Peak Sky Terrace 428, a 360-degree viewing platform set 428 meters above sea level.
Groups may hold private events and outings at Hong Kong Disneyland, with such rentable spaces as the Conference Centre, which spans 16,000 square feet of flexible event space, including 16 meeting rooms and a 9,400-square-foot ballroom. Located in Kowloon, the Hong Kong Cultural Center is a premier venue for art, public programs and private events with three major performing halls, Exhibition Gallery, foyer exhibition areas, rehearsal and practice rooms and conference rooms. Perfect for sporting, betting entertainment and group functions, the Hong Kong Jockey Club's two racetrack locations feature meeting and event spaces with trackside views.
