The Policy Address released in October did not introduce long-term policies for Hong Kong’s night markets. In which case, “Night Vibes Hong Kong” appears to be a short-term measure. However “Night Vibes” needs to keep running because a sustainable night economy is essential for a city that needs tourism. 

It is necessary to act on initializing policies for local markets in Hong Kong, whether they are being enhanced as a tourist attraction or are being upgraded for residents. Hong Kong’s markets have a long history, with charismatic stalls in places like Temple Street and Sai Yeung Choi Street. Visitors from the Chinese mainland who come to Hong Kong to uncover some hidden gems seem more interested in Hong Kong’s old districts than the locals.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government should ensure action  gets underway by deploying the existing hardware resources in hand. Stalls in public markets and cooked food markets managed by the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department can be utilized to develop a bona fide night economy. 

To take Tung Po Kitchen in Java Road Market as an example, the stall was reclaimed by the  FEHD in 2022 for violating the terms of its lease. The FEHD should, in this regard, relax certain rules and regulations, ease some restrictions, and consider such cases on a discretionary basis. On the other hand, the government should encourage and support more food stalls and restaurants like Tung Po Kitchen as they showcase a unique facet of Hong Kong that can attract local foodies and international visitors. If celebrated eateries in each district are turned into tourism resources, they will generate more economic value.

The latest Policy Address in October states that the FEHD will “streamline the licensing regime of food businesses” next year by adopting a “license first, inspection later” approach and expanding the scope of the Professional Certification System to cover general restaurants. 

That is without question a good move. Yet, in the long run, Hong Kong’s reputation as a “food paradise” depends on these eateries under the FEHD’s management. Hong Kong’s reputation as a gourmet destination, which could be replaced by Shenzhen, is now at risk. Shenzhen is hastening to catch up in terms of price, food quality, and service. Therefore, the FEHD should take a cue from the food licensing systems and policies in places such as Taiwan, Japan, and South Korea. 

Many stringent regulations under the current system are hindering the growth of Hong Kong’s food and beverage industry, not to mention high rents which pose significant challenges to restaurant owners. The FEHD should consider how to provide support for the food and beverage industry and maintain Hong Kong’s standing as a “food paradise”.

Currently, there are 73 markets and 23 cooked food centers under the FEHD, providing approximately 13,500 stalls for lease. The government should start by setting a street vendor market as its aim, then study how best to achieve that. For instance, a new policy for licensing street vendors should be put in place. 

In the short term, the first step would be to optimize the existing environment by conducting a comprehensive review of the different types of markets managed by the FEHD, be they vacant or operational. Then, led by the director of the FEHD, Irene Young Bick-kwan, the FEHD could kick off with some experimental projects. Real estate investment trust Link REIT’s approach to management could serve as a good example, since it has collaborated with various social enterprises in running markets. That being the case, both social and economic values would increase. It’s  as simple as that.

Therefore, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee Ka-chiu should exercise his power to grant immunity to cooked food markets. The FEHD can use some of the vacant markets for experimentation and explore other possibilities for development, namely, bringing in cultural and creative industries selling handicrafts in conjunction with healthy food

Second, flexibility in execution regarding the issue of vendor licenses is vital. An integrated approach might be favorable compared with handling each individual stall with a certain degree of discretion. It would be advantageous to the development of markets if vendor licenses could be reissued to those interested in becoming vendors. Instead of offering a lease via simple tenders, other methods could be explored, such as holding open auctions, rather as Lunar New Year fair stalls are let. Ideally, different models could be tested out; for example, some could be operated by social enterprises and others through tenders. A further expansion could be beneficial to the traders in Mong Kok’s flower market. For example, a large-scale flower fair could be held at the nearby Tai Hang Tung Recreation Ground every season. Flower shops and florists could even collaborate with shops of the bird market on Yuen Po Street and the aquarium and fish shops in goldfish market on Tung Choi Street to promote traditional Chinese leisure activities, namely, bird- and fish-rearing and gardening.

How could the indoor and outdoor FEHD markets be reinvigorated? Several pilot projects could be launched in areas with high tourist flows, such as Central and Western and Yau Tsim Mong, so that the FEHD markets and cooked food markets could conduct experiments. There are plenty of hidden gems tucked away in corners of Hong Kong’s markets, such as the cooked food center in Kowloon City Market and Wong Nai Chung Market and Cooked Food Centre in Happy Valley, which attract many middle-class patrons. The government should establish new policies to accommodate multifarious eateries to preserve Hong Kong’s  culinary specialties.

With respect to the threat of growing global competition, the government needs to play a more proactive role. For Hong Kong to become more proactive and enterprising, the city needs an upgrade and self-transformation. It is hardly easy because the government is accustomed to passive tender processes and lacks initiative. 

Therefore, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee Ka-chiu should exercise his power to grant immunity to cooked food markets. The FEHD can use some of the vacant markets for experimentation and explore other possibilities for development, namely, bringing in cultural and creative industries selling handicrafts in conjunction with healthy food.

On the other hand, optimization should be carried out at the FEHD markets in areas with high foot traffic. For example, in the cooked food market in the Sheung Wan Municipal Services Building, Queen Street Cooked Food Market, and the Smithfield Market Cooked Food Centre, there are some spaces that could be reopened. Invigorating FEHD markets would create more tourism resources and bring about a different experience for tourists. In addition to cooked food markets, other dry food and groceries stalls, and even craft coffee shops, can also adopt a new image by undergoing a revamp.

In addition to long-term development in the innovation and technology industry, housing, and family planning, how can Hong Kong create more social and economic value in the short term? How can the government generate more tourism resources? What would persuade Hong Kong residents to spend locally? What would attract tourists from overseas to come and spend in Hong Kong? 

Better utilization of the public spaces managed by the FEHD would be a feasible and effective short-term strategy.

The author is a member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies and artistic director of Zuni Icosahedron.

The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.