Hong Kong’s finance chief Paul Chan unveiled the government’s financial plan for 2026, prioritising tourism revival, AI-driven innovation and positioning Hong Kong as a hub for top global talent.
By prioritising “AI+” and “Finance+”, the budget aims to sharpen sectoral development, strengthen Hong Kong’s competitiveness, and boost sustainable economic momentum.
Don’t miss: 6 key takeaways from Budget 2026 for HK’s marketing scene
The city’s leader John Lee welcomed the budget and called for public support, highlighting its alignment with the administration’s vision to promote Hong Kong’s high-quality development.
In the coming year, the government will allocate HK$1,660 million to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) to further promote Hong Kong as the Events Capital of Asia. HKTB chairman Peter Lam said the board will use government resources and trade partnerships to attract high‑end overnight visitors, extend their stays and spending, and enhance visitor experiences to drive repeat visits and boost the wider economy.
“At the same time, HKTB will strengthen its global promotions to showcase Hong Kong’s distinctive experiences and enhance the scale and appeal of its mega events to highlight the city’s edge and reinforce Hong Kong’s tourism competitiveness,” he added.
Furthermore, business chambers in Hong Kong such as The Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce and the Federation of Hong Kong Industries praised Budget measures supporting SMEs, highlighting the HK$200 million boost to the BUD Fund as a key step to strengthen SME branding and expansion.
In Hong Kong, the budget speech generated 4,600 mentions, with sentiment of social media conversations at 27.1% positive and 1.6% negative, and the majority of discussion neutral, according to media intelligence firm CARMA. Keywords associated with social media conversations were policy-led, centred on economic development (發展 / 經濟), government measures (措施 / 提出 / 推動), innovation and technology (科技創新), talent attraction, investment and references to the Northern Metropolis (北部都會區).
With talent, tourism and technology front and centre in the government’s strategy, industry leaders are weighing how these investments will reshape Hong Kong’s marketing, media and advertising landscape. We asked senior figures in the advertising and public relations sectors to share their views on what the Budget means for the industry and how it may influence future business decisions.
Jacopo Pesavento, CEO, Branding Records
Hong Kong doesn’t have the luxury of playing safe, and this budget reflects that awareness. The emphasis on talent, tourism and AI is not accidental. These are the pressure points of modern competitiveness. A 3.5% growth rate is reassuring, but growth is maintenance. The real ambition should be influence. The question is not whether the priorities are right. They are.
The question is whether Hong Kong can move faster and think bigger than its competitors. In today’s environment, hesitation is expensive. Leadership is rewarded.
Right now, the priorities read like strong ingredients. What’s needed is a signature dish. Talent, AI and tourism should combine into one clear story about why Hong Kong matters now. Branding a city is not about slogans. It is about alignment. The startup founder, the global investor, the artist, the event organiser and the policymaker should all be reinforcing the same idea. When economic strategy and cultural expression move in sync, perception shifts.
Reputation is a compound asset. It builds slowly and pays long-term dividends. Competing cities are not just investing in infrastructure; they are investing in identity.
Hong Kong’s opportunity is to transition from recovery mode to relevance mode and position itself not just as a gateway, but as a place that shapes what comes next.
David Chan, head of trading and partnership, dentsu Hong Kong
The 2026 Budget signals a positive trajectory for Hong Kong, especially with its focus on talent, tourism and AI‑driven innovation. These priorities mirror dentsu’s belief that sustainable growth must come from building future‑ready capabilities while keeping people at the centre. The continued economic expansion reinforces confidence in Hong Kong’s role as a regional hub for creativity, commerce and innovation.
From a media perspective, Hong Kong should accelerate integration across the full ecosystem — international platforms such as Google and Meta, alongside China’s influence engines such as Tencent and Alibaba. We see the next wave of growth coming from interoperable data, AI‑enhanced planning, and connected measurement across these environments. Policy support that enables experimentation, cross‑border data collaboration and responsible AI adoption would empower brands to make smarter, more accountable investment decisions.
Hong Kong also has a unique opportunity to strengthen its role as a launchpad for China brands going global. With its blend of international marketing expertise and proximity to mainland digital ecosystems, language and culture, the city is well‑positioned to host cross‑market innovation, creative testing and talent development.
Ultimately, deeper collaboration between government, commerce, media and agencies will be key to turning this budget’s ambitions into meaningful outcomes for brands, consumers and the wider economy.
Yvonne Ma, founder and managing director, Eighty20
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As the owner of Eighty20, a marketing agency specialising in global government, real estate, and tourism clients, I recognise that the HK$1.66 billion allocation to the HKTB for flagship events and promotions is a positive step. However, the budget could more aggressively target emerging markets such as the Middle East. The UAE, for instance, values Hong Kong’s bilingual environment and urban development as models for its own growth. Strengthening partnerships with Middle Eastern nations could yield mutual benefits in tourism and B2B investment.
The HK$1.2 billion investment in elite sports and cultural commerce is promising. However, clear metrics for return on investment and inclusivity are essential to ensure these initiatives resonate with both local and international audiences.
The focus on developing an international I&T hub through AI+ initiatives is forward-thinking. Nonetheless, without robust support for commercialization, there’s a risk of over-reliance on research and development without tangible economic returns.
Carol Yeung, managing director, Golin Hong Kong
Budget 2026 marks a meaningful shift from AI infrastructure investment to practical integration. The new committee on AI+ and industry development strategy, coupled with HK$50 million for AI literacy programmes and the committee personally chaired by the financial secretary, signals the emphasis on accelerating AI literacy and adoption in Hong Kong.
As Hong Kong positions itself as an international innovation hub, it is essential to enhance accessibility for businesses and professionals to the full range of global AI tools.
Broadening the availability of international AI platforms would complement the government’s literacy push and ensure Hong Kong’s workforce can stay at the cutting edge alongside global peers.
With the government introducing a unified “Made in Hong Kong” brand for the F&B industry, I see tremendous potential to define this narrative further and cascade it to other facets — from arts and heritage to innovation and tourism. Hong Kong has always been more than a financial hub; a cohesive “Made in Hong Kong” story across key sectors would give the city a powerful and distinctive brand identity on the global stage.
Melody Chan, business director, Havas Media Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s Budget 2026 cements the city’s role as Asia’s innovation and tourism powerhouse—a prime moment for marketers to adopt an AI‑ready strategy. With tourism receiving a HK$1.66 billion boost and tax rebates freeing up consumer spending power, marketers should harness AI to uncover unmet demand, scale content creation at speed, and activate and measure campaigns with efficiency and precision.
The opportunity lies in using data and automation to reach both Hong Kong locals and high‑intent travellers—maximising efficiency, personalisation, and ROI in a rapidly reviving market.
Marketers who think bigger—using AI to connect budget tailwinds to consumer wallets—will own 2026.
Carbo Yu, regional executive director, Sinclair
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Budget 2026 gives Hong Kong a crisp narrative and clear focus for the city’s continued growth: travel and events bring people, talent brings ideas, and AI turns ideas into better services and progress.
The real test for these budget initiatives is how they can work hand-in-glove towards the creation of any visible impact on local communities and businesses.
As Hong Kong sharpens its tourism appeal and bids to be the Events Capital of Asia, large-scale events cannot be just postcard or Instagram moments; they must be converted into dynamic traffic engines that extend local and visitor dwell time and lift consumption through targeted programming, cross-district activations, and festival tie-ins.
For brands, corporates, SMEs, and marketers, this creates an immense opportunity to make the destination narrative tangible through creative activations that align with the city’s calendar, remove friction from the consumer journey, and build campaigns that drive footfall, momentum and measurable spend.
While the planned investment in AI research and development will propel Hong Kong’s reputation as a global technology hub, the use of AI tools to enhance and amplify tourism efforts will help to improve consumer reach and eliminate many of the barriers for international travelers visiting Hong Kong. When combined, these core aspects of the 2026 budget have the potential to yield tremendous results.
Silas Ho, Senior Vice President, Client Leadership, WPP Media Hong Kong
Budget 2026 is a much‑needed boost for Hong Kong’s tourism efforts. The extra support for HKTB, major events and city‑branding will help Hong Kong stand out again, bring in more high‑value visitors, and create real benefits for retail, dining, culture and the wider economy.
To get the most from this, Hong Kong needs stronger, more focused destination marketing that uses data and real audience insights to reach the right travellers at the right moments.
Travellers today choose destinations through digital inspiration, personalised content and what feels relevant to them. Hong Kong should lean into clearer targeting, market‑specific storytelling and smarter cross‑border activation — especially for mainland and long‑haul markets. This matches the more flexible, performance‑based ways of working we’ve been taking to clients, where budgets are planned around clear outcomes and efficiency rather than volume.
There is also a chance to raise the bar in how brands plan by using AI‑supported tools, simple outcome‑based commercial models and more joined‑up digital strategies. These are areas where WPP Media Hong Kong has been leading the way, helping brands get more impact from every dollar while keeping things practical and results‑driven for tourism growth.”
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