Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Tuesday said the new Policy Address to be revealed on Wednesday will keep focusing on driving economic growth and improving public welfare as the previous ones did.

Lee also noted that a series of celebratory activities held by the special administrative region government and local businesses and community groups will take place in the weeks ahead, including transportation and consumption discounts, to celebrate National Day on Oct 1 and cater for tourists.

A day before delivering the fourth Policy Address of his five-year term, Lee showcased physical copies of the annual address at a media briefing before the Executive Council meeting, saying the themes of the document are deepening reform, caring for livelihoods, leveraging strengths, and co-creating the future.

READ MORE: HK to mark National Day with celebratory events, free tickets, deals

The address will introduce short-, medium-, and long-term policies, emphasizing economic development and improvements in livelihoods, Lee said, adding that green was chosen as the color of the Policy Address cover as it represents the vitality of the SAR government’s policies which will continue as Hong Kong moves toward a brighter future.

During the drafting, the government engaged with the community in over 40 consultation sessions, and collected more than 10,100 submissions from different channels, he added.

Lee said the government is collaborating with local businesses and community groups to launch a series of activities to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

On National Day, the celebration will start with a flag-raising ceremony and a reception in the morning, followed by a large-scale display featuring over 30,000 fireworks lighting up the night sky over Victoria Harbour. A National Day gala will be held on the evening of Oct 2, broadcast by local TV stations.

Various industries will offer citywide discounts, covering transportation, theme parks, movie theaters, shops, and restaurants.

Residents can take free rides on trams, Star Ferry’s Tsim Sha Tsui-Central route and Sun Ferry’s North Point-Hung Hom and North Point-Kowloon City routes. The Fortune Ferry will distribute 2,000 free tickets for its Central-Hung Hom and North Point-Kwun Tong-Kai Tak routes, The city’s railway operator MTR will give away 76,000 electronic single-trip tickets to passengers in a lucky draw.

The Ngong Ping 360, Peak Tram, West Kowloon Cultural District and Ocean Park Hong Kong will offer discounts on tickets, and a number of recreational facilities managed by the Leisure and Cultural Services Department will offer free admission to the public.

Also on Oct 1, more than 1,000 eateries and businesses will offer dining deals, while moviegoers can enjoy half-price admission at cinemas across the city.

These events are expected to attract more tourists during the National Day holiday, an eight-day break this year on the Chinese mainland, tourism industry representatives said.

The Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong on Tuesday forecast that the number of mainland visitor trips during the holiday will reach 1.5 million, up from about 1.22 million last year. Travel agencies expect to cater for around 1,300 groups with 45,000 tourists during the holiday, while the hotel industry anticipates hotel occupancy rates will exceed 90 percent in some traditionally popular districts.

READ MORE: HKSAR to celebrate National Day with more than 400 events

Such confidence stems from the surge of inbound tourist trips this year. Official data showed that the city logged 5.15 million visitor arrivals in August, representing 16 percent year-on-year growth and the highest single-month tally since COVID-19.

The city welcomed a total of 33 million tourists in the first eight months, marking a 12 percent year-on-year rise. Overseas tourism saw significant growth, with arrivals from short-haul markets like Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan up 18 percent, and long-haul visitors, especially from Australia, increasing 19 percent.

Early this month, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui expressed confidence that Hong Kong would achieve its goal of receiving 49 million visitor trips this year, a 10-percent increase compared to 2024.

Contact the writers at amberwu@chinadailyhk.com