Jockey Club collaborates with Guangzhou Municipal Government to promote horse-themed culture, sports and tourism in the Greater Bay Area

2026-03-17 19:32 Last Updated At：19:32

The Hong Kong Jockey Club (the Club) and the Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau (GZCRTTB) today (17 March) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to promote the unique racing tourism concept of “Two Cities, Three Racecourses”, namely Happy Valley Racecourse and Sha Tin Racecourse in Hong Kong and Conghua Racecourse in Guangzhou. The aim is to support Guangzhou as a world-class tourism city and to strengthen Hong Kong’s position as Asia’s events capital.

The Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the Hong Kong Science and Technology Park by Ronald Chan, Club Head of Mainland Affairs, and Li Ruolan, Party Group Member and Chief Engineer of the Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau. It was witnessed by C Y Leung, Vice Chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference; Sun Zhiyang, Mayor of the Guangzhou Municipal Government; Lyu Feng, Deputy Director of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Hong Kong SAR; Zhu Wei, Executive Deputy Director of the Guangdong Provincial Greater Bay Area Office; Liu Yumei, Director of the Guangzhou Municipal Culture, Radio, Television and Tourism Bureau; and Raymond Tam, Club Executive Director, Corporate Affairs.

The Club is a world-class horse sports and entertainment organisation that acts continuously for the betterment of our society and with a strong commitment to the nation and to Hong Kong. Leveraging the institutional advantages of “One Country, Two Systems” and the policy guidelines for integration within the GBA, the Club promotes collaboration within the equine industry chain, supports culture, sports and tourism in the region, and contributes to regional economic development. An important highlight will be the launch in October of international-standard racing and a series of culture, sports and tourism events at Conghua Racecourse in Guangzhou. This will be a significant milestone for the Club’s support for national equine industry development in the GBA and beyond.

In the Memorandum of Understanding, the Club and GZCRTTB agree to jointly promote horse-themed culture, sports and tourism in the GBA utilising the advantages of “Two Cities, Three Racecourses”. Specifically, they will collaborate in four areas:

1. Policy support: GZCRTTB supports the inclusion of racing tourism in Guangdong-Hong Kong or Guangzhou-Hong Kong collaborative initiatives in culture, sports and tourism, as well as the positioning of Conghua Racecourse as a world-class integrated destination for horse-themed culture, sports and tourism. It also supports the Club in leveraging “Two Cities, Three Racecourses” to promote tourism in Guangzhou and Hong Kong.

2. Promotion and publicity: Apart from strengthening online and offline promotions, both sides will jointly explore video production and promotion of world-class racing events at Conghua Racecourse. They will also organise large-scale promotional activities on horse culture and equine sports to enhance the visibility and influence of the GBA as a world-class sports tourism destination. In addition, GZCRTTB will support the Club via major tourism exhibitions in Guangzhou to promote racing tourism.

3. Racing tourism product design: GZCRTTB will encourage leading tourism enterprises to collaborate with the Club, focusing on horse-themed cultural, sports and tourism activities at Conghua Racecourse and launching “one-trip multi-stop” tourism products to link up the Club’s racecourses in Hong Kong and Guangzhou. To appeal to high-end domestic and international business traveller groups, racing tourism will be positioned as a distinctive highlight of business tourism in the GBA.

4. Industry support: The Club will collaborate with relevant media organisations and institutions in Guangzhou to enhance talent cultivation with a focus on equine sports events and horse culture promotion.

Conghua Racecourse is a paradigm of Guangdong-Hong Kong cooperation, and has received strong support from the Chinese Mainland authorities at different levels and the HKSAR Government. Its ability to take forward “Three Innovations” (namely, institutional innovation, technological innovation, and industry innovation) has allowed the racecourse to stand as not only a world-class racehorse training facility but also a core engine, co-created by the Club and Guangzhou, for equine industry growth. The innovations include seamless cross-border horse movement and quarantine and permission for Hong Kong or overseas veterinarians to practice at the Conghua Racecourse. In addition, green building technologies have been utilised for the construction of the grandstand while brand-new retail, dining, and interactive experiences will provide a platform for showcasing world-class horse racing, equine sports and horse culture.

In response to the National Equine Industry Development Plan promulgated by the General Administration of Sport and the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the Club signed a framework cooperation agreement with the Guangzhou Municipal Government in 2021. It aims to jointly promote Guangzhou-Hong Kong Equine Industry Collaboration, with the Club’s Conghua Racecourse being a key driving force. At the same time, the Club actively supports the HKSAR Government’s racing tourism policy, leveraging the racing and entertainment experiences offered by its two racecourses in Hong Kong to support the events and tourism economy development in the city.

Jockey Club supports French May’s immersive Mona Lisa exhibition

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has been delighted to support the French May Arts Festival for 15 consecutive years, including this year’s opening programme – The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance. Focusing on the iconic Italian Renaissance painting, the Mona Lisa, the exhibition explores the creative spirit and aesthetic ideas of the Renaissance through a multi-media journey centred on this celebrated masterpiece. The narrative is further enriched by art treasures from leading European institutions. The exhibition will be on view at the Hong Kong Heritage Museum from 1 May to 27 July.

The opening ceremony for the exhibition was held today (30 April). Officiating guests included Rosanna Law, HKSAR Government Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism; Manda Chan, HKSAR Government Director of Leisure and Cultural Services; Nicholas Hunsworth, Club Steward; Christile Drulhe, Consul General of France in Hong Kong and Macau, and other guests.

Speaking at the ceremony, Club Steward Nicholas Hunsworth said the exhibition offers an unprecedented hybrid experience, blending centuries-old legacy with immersive technology, and culminating with the vision of Asian artists as a bridge between East and West. The Club’s support for the exhibition, together with its role as the exclusive sponsor of The Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes, reflects its commitment to nurturing talent, fostering arts appreciation and supporting cultural development in Hong Kong. It also aligns with the Central Government’s vision of developing Hong Kong into an East-meets-West centre for international cultural exchange, as outlined in the National 15th Five-Year Plan.

The Hong Kong Jockey Club Series: Meet Mona Lisa & Portraying the Renaissance exhibition is a multi-media showcase that invites visitors to appreciate the Mona Lisa from a new perspective. Specially created for Hong Kong by the Musée du Louvre and the Grand Palais Immersif, the exhibition is narrated by the Mona Lisa herself through a monologue that reveals the captivating stories behind her mysterious smile. Selected treasures from the Musée National de la Renaissance of France, Pinacoteca Ambrosiana of Italy and Ateliers d’art Grand Palais RMN are also featured. Most of the exhibits are being shown in Hong Kong for the first time, including four original sketches and notes by Leonardo da Vinci alongside masterpieces from the Renaissance, including sculptures, paintings, drawings and engravings.

In addition, the exhibition offers interactive multimedia displays that introduce Leonardo's painting techniques, playful games, as well as an immersive photo booth that allows visitors to step into the world of the Mona Lisa. These elements guide audiences to explore and appreciate the iconic Mona Lisa from new perspectives, while delving into the vision and spirit of innovation that defined the Renaissance. The exhibition also features three items from the collection of the Hong Kong Heritage Museum, along with paintings by Chinese Mainland artist Xu Lei, presenting Asian artistic perspectives while illustrating the influence of 14th‑century European culture, thereby creating a narrative that bridges East and West. For further details please visit: https://hk.heritage.museum/en/exhibitions/monalisa2026.html

The Club’s Charities Trust is also supporting other programmes in the French May Arts Festival under the theme of “Re/naissance”, including Rendezvous @ Tai Kwun, which features Voûte, an outdoor performance in the Parade Ground by Cirque du Corbak of CNAC, France’s National Center for Circus Arts, which blends music, visual art and technology. In addition, a four-day artist-in-residence programme will promote cultural exchange and collaboration between French and local performers.

In addition, the long-established The Jockey Club Community Outreach and Arts Education Programmes will continue to provide enriching educational and outreach activities including guided tours, workshops, talks and screenings. As every year, the Club will provide support for accessibility services to make the festival more accessible to all.

The Club’s support for the French May Arts Festival, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique integrated business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.

Jockey Club collaborates with Guangzhou Municipal Government to promote horse-themed culture, sports and tourism in the Greater Bay Area

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Jockey Club collaborates with Guangzhou Municipal Government to promote horse-themed culture, sports and tourism in the Greater Bay Area

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