Samuel Alerte, center, of France runs with the ball against Fiji during the Cup final on the Third day at the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament on April 7, 2019. (PHOTO / BLOOMBERG)

HONG KONG - Rugby fans and revelers readied for the Hong Kong Sevens on Friday as the city's highest-profile sporting event returns from a three-year COVID-19 hiatus, though safety protocols are set to make for a more subdued affair than previous editions.

Known for its festival vibe and fancy dress costumes, the three-day tournament is traditionally a big draw for visitors and big corporates.

ALSO READ: HK Rugby Sevens to be held in Nov after 3-year COVID break

The Nov 4-6 event coincides with a global banking summit which drew top Wall Street executives in a bid to burnish the city's reputation as a global financial hub

The Nov 4-6 event coincides with a global banking summit which drew top Wall Street executives in a bid to burnish the city's reputation as a global financial hub. 

While many of Hong Kong's COVID rules have been relaxed, including hotel quarantine on arrival, mask wearing remains mandatory. Proof of COVID vaccination and checking-in with the “LeaveHomeSafe” app is required to enter most venues.

International arrivals are banned from visiting bars and restaurants for their first three days in Hong Kong.

Around 50 percent of Sevens spectators came from overseas in 2019, with the event contributing around HK$400 million ($50 million) to Hong Kong's economy.

ALSO READ: Hong Kong Sevens canceled as virus thwarts rugby’s big party

This year international spectators will be "down significantly", organizer Hong Kong Rugby Union said, with this year's event more "locally focused".

Corporate box sales, which raked in HK$116 million in 2019, are down year-on-year, in line with expectations, the Union said. 

HSBC and the city's flagship airline Cathay Pacific are the two main sponsors of the Sevens.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said this week that as Hong Kong's COVID situation eases they can hold more big events.

READ MORE: Hong Kong's Sevens canceled for second year due to COVID-19

Alex McQueen, 34, a player on Hong Kong's team, said they were excited for the event's return and had prepared as best as possible.

"We just get on with everything ... we are hoping it can return to as big an event as it previously was before COVID."