Jockey Club supports 2026 Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum and hosts inaugural Tourism Cup to promote horse racing tourism with China Tourism Group

In support of the 2026 Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum, The Hong Kong Jockey Club (“the Club”) today (10 June) hosted a closing banquet at Happy Valley Racecourse for forum guests. The inaugural Tourism Cup was also held on the same evening, in collaboration with strategic partner China Tourism Group (CTS Holdings HK) (“CTG”) to promote horse racing tourism and reinforce the city’s position as an international tourism hub.

Organised by CTG, Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (“TIC”) and the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners (“FHKHO”), the 2026 Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum was held under the theme of “Win-win Collaboration · Tech-Empowerment — Supporting Hong Kong in Consolidating its Position as a World-Class Premier Tourism Destination” – attracting over 500 guests from Hong Kong, the Chinese Mainland and overseas.

The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (front row, 4th right); and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of the Club (front row, 3rd left); Wang Haimin, Chairman of China Tourism Group (front row, 4th left) together with members of Board of Management of the Club and other guests attend the closing banquet of the 2026 Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum.

The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of the Club, congratulated the success of the 2026 Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum and welcomed guests to Happy Valley Racecourse to experience the unique atmosphere of Hong Kong’s world-class racing. He said horse racing, deeply loved by the public, is an iconic symbol of the city. It has become one of Hong Kong’s most compelling tourism attractions for visitors from around the world. CTG as the Club’s strategic partner, has brought nearly 11,000 high-end travellers to the racecourses since last year, he noted. So far this season, the Club has welcomed a record 350,000 tourists – an increase of 94% compared with last year – demonstrating the growing appeal of horse racing tourism, he said.

The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said cumulative tourist attendance at the racecourses this season has continued to break records, underscoring that horse racing has become one of Hong Kong’s most compelling tourism attractions for visitors from around the world.

Jian Yi, Vice General Manager of CTG expressed his gratitude to the Club for sponsoring the closing banquet of the 2026 Hong Kong Tourism Development Forum. He said CTG and the Club have integrated resources across multiple areas, including the establishment of a regular communication mechanism, joint organisation of the New Quality Productive Forces Summer Study Tour, development of co-branded cultural and creative merchandises, participation in the International Travel Expo Hong Kong, and promotion of horse racing tourism experiences. These achievements demonstrate that cross-sector cooperation and strong partnerships are key to driving innovation in Hong Kong’s tourism development.

Jian Yi, Vice General Manager of China Tourism Group (left), presents The Hong Kong Jockey Club with a model of the “Adora Magic City” cruise ship. Casper Stylsvig, Executive Director, Sports Business of the Club (right), presents CTG with a horse sculpture, marking another important milestone in the collaboration between both parties.

During the banquet, Jian Yi, Vice General Manager of CTG, presented the Club with a model of the “Adora Magic City” cruise ship. Casper Stylsvig, Executive Director, Sports Business of the Club, presented CTG with a horse sculpture, marking another important milestone in the collaboration between the two parties.

Jian Yi, Vice General Manager of China Tourism Group (left), presents The Hong Kong Jockey Club with a model of the “Adora Magic City” cruise ship. Casper Stylsvig, Executive Director, Sports Business of the Club (right), presents CTG with a horse sculpture, marking another important milestone in the collaboration between both parties.

The Tourism Cup was won by the Tony Cruz-trained Viva Firecracker under jockey Karis Teetan.

The Hon Rosanna Law, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the HKSAR Government (front row, 5th right), presents the Tourism Cup Trophy to the representative of winning owner Arnaldo Ho Yau Heng (front row, 5th left). Dr Peter Lam, Chairman of Hong Kong Tourism Board (front row, 4th right) presents a miniature trophy to the winning trainer Tony Cruz (front row, 2nd left). The Hon Perry Yiu, Member of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR and Chairman of China Travel Service (Hong Kong) Limited (front row, 3rd right); and The Hon Vivian Kong, Member of the Legislative Council of the HKSAR (front row, 2nd right) jointly present a miniature trophy to the winning jockey Karis Teetan (front row, 1st left). In attendance are The Hon Martin Liao, Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (front row, 1st right); Stewards of the Club; and Winfried Engelbrecht-Bresges, Chief Executive Officer of the Club (back row, 1st left).

Last year, the Club signed a Memorandum of Understanding with CTG to strengthen their strategic partnership in support of tourism, sports, cultural exchange and youth development, with the aim of promoting tourism in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. The collaboration includes the joint promotion of horse racing tourism by incorporating the Club’s Happy Valley, Sha Tin and Conghua racecourses into CTG’s travel itineraries - Conghua will host regular race meetings starting from October.

As an increasing number of Hong Kong residents choose to live, work and retire on the Chinese Mainland, the demand for cross-boundary social welfare services continues to grow. Ongoing innovation in social welfare services is therefore necessary for the sector to meet the evolving needs of society. In response, The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust has approved a donation of nearly HK$70 million to support Connecting Hearts Limited in launching the three-year Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead programme.

Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government (3rd left); Bernard Chan, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club (3rd right); Alice Lau, Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government (2nd left); Edward To, Director of Social Welfare of the HKSAR Government (2nd right); Peter Douglas Koon, Chairman of the Connecting Hearts Limited (1st left); and Professor Annie Tam, Vice Chairperson of the Connecting Hearts Limited and President of the Connecting Hearts Academy (1st right), officiate at the launch ceremony of the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead Capacity Building Programme (Cohort 1). Photo source: HKJC

The programme is built on two pillars: capacity building and integration in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA). It aims to enhance the professional capabilities and leadership capacity of Hong Kong’s social welfare sector, promote cooperation in welfare services across the GBA and develop sustainable, high-quality service models for the region. The Launch Ceremony cum Pilot Class of the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead Capacity Building Programme (Cohort 1) was held today (18 August), with some 400 participants in attendance.

Officiating guests at the launch ceremony included Chris Sun, Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government; Bernard Chan, Steward of The Hong Kong Jockey Club; Alice Lau, Permanent Secretary for Labour and Welfare of the HKSAR Government; Edward To, Director of Social Welfare of the HKSAR Government; Peter Douglas Koon, Chairman of Connecting Hearts Limited; and Professor Annie Tam, Vice Chairperson of the Connecting Hearts Limited and President of the Connecting Hearts Academy.

Club Steward Bernard Chan delivers a speech at the launch ceremony of the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead Capacity Building Programme (Cohort 1). Photo source: HKJC

As a patriotic organisation with a strong commitment to Hong Kong, the Club has consistently leveraged its unique strengths to serve society’s priorities and contribute to the country’s high-quality development. It also actively responds to the National 15th Five-Year Plan and supports measures that facilitate Hong Kong residents’ development and daily lives in the Chinese Mainland. Speaking at the ceremony, Club Steward Bernard Chan said that the Club is supporting the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead programme in response to the growing demand for cross-boundary welfare services among Hong Kong residents in the GBA. He encouraged participants to make full use of this valuable opportunity to deepen their understanding of national development and welfare service practices on the Chinese Mainland. This will enable them to contribute to the long-term advancement of the social welfare sector in alignment with overall national development.

Group photo, Photo source: HKJC

Under the capacity building pillar, the programme aims to nurture a new generation of social welfare professionals equipped with expertise, leadership skills and innovative thinking to address emerging challenges arising from demographic changes, technological advancement and a rising demand for cross-regional services. The programme is expected to provide training for 1,780 social welfare professionals. Initiatives include specialised training for middle management staff to gain a deeper understanding of welfare services in the GBA, overseas study visits for industry practitioners to learn about service innovation and data application, and sponsorships for social workers with potential as future sector leaders to pursue master’s degree programmes locally or overseas.

Participants attend the pilot class of the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead Capacity Building Programme (Cohort 1). Photo source: HKJC

Under the GBA integration pillar, the programme will promote deeper collaboration between social welfare organisations in Hong Kong and throughout the region. Building on the memoranda of understanding already signed between welfare agencies, the programme is expected to incubate around 100 cross-boundary collaborative concepts in areas including services for older adults, children and families, rehabilitation and mental health, poverty alleviation, development of the welfare sector, volunteering and others. Fifteen initiatives demonstrating strong potential will receive additional funding to be developed into pilot programmes, serving as replicable and sustainable cross-boundary service models that provide more comprehensive and higher-quality welfare services for Hong Kong residents in the region.

Participants attend the pilot class of the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead Capacity Building Programme (Cohort 1). Photo source: HKJC

The Club’s support for the Jockey Club • Connecting Hearts: Moving Ahead programme, like all its charity and community donations, is made possible by its unique business model through which racing and responsible sports wagering generate substantial tax contributions, charity support and employment opportunities for Hong Kong.