Tsang Siu-ching, owner of Ruggers bar in Causeway Bay, said she expected business to fall by 30 to 40 per cent after the Sevens moved across Victoria Harbour to Kai Tak.

Tourists, families flock to Hong Kong Stadium for rugby’s Sevens

“I am very worried. There will not be anyone in Causeway Bay as all of them will be in Kowloon,” she said.

“Even for hotels, they may choose ones in Kowloon instead of Causeway Bay. Consumption before and after the tournament may be further reduced.”

Diwas Limbu, general manager of Joe Bananas on Luard Road in Wan Chai, said his bar had been serving Sevens fans since opening 38 years ago.

“Of course, we feel sad because the event has been there for a long time, for many many years, and suddenly, it’s going to move to another area,” he said.

“If they move to Kai Tak next year, it may affect 20 per cent of our business … But if people have been partying in Wan Chai for a long time, they will always come to Wan Chai. I don’t think there is any place like Wan Chai on the other side.”

He said in the past, a bigger crowd usually appeared a few days before the Sevens began, but this year there were fewer people, although more observations were needed.

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This year’s sell-out event, which ends on Sunday evening, is expected to be the last Sevens at the 40,000-seat Hong Kong Stadium, the venue since 1982.

Next year, it is expected to move to Kai Tak Sports Park Main Stadium – a new venue to be finished by late 2024 – which has 20 per cent more seats than Hong Kong Stadium.

Chin Chun-wing, chairman of the Hong Kong Bar and Club Association, said the move to Kai Tak would bring new business opportunities in Kowloon.

“Bars on Hong Kong Island may need to rely on other mega events,” he said. “I am not worried as the government is putting efforts in launching different mega events to boost the economy.”

Cameron Yeh, general manager of Escapade Sports in Causeway Bay which has sold official Sevens merchandise for around 20 years, said the event had been a boon for the store.

“I will miss them a bit obviously,” he said. “We are considering setting up a pop-up shop or a permanent store in Kai Tak.”

But he said he believed rugby fans would still visit the shop.

“As we are the only shop that sells full-range Sevens products in Hong Kong, I believe the fans will still come and shop at our store,” he said, adding that rugby jerseys and balls were their bestsellers.

Yeh said he had seen many locals and tourists in the shop over the past two weeks, leading to a 50 to 70 per cent increase in business, close to pre-pandemic levels.

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Gary Ng Cheuk-yan, a senior economist with Natixis Corporate and Investment Bank, estimated Hong Kong could reap economic benefits of HK$320 million from the tournament, based on the 42 per cent overseas ticket sales this year.

That is lower than the HK$400 million before the pandemic in 2019 when 50 per cent of spectators arrived from overseas.

“However, there is a risk that elevated hotel prices may reduce the period of stays and crowd out other types of consumption,” he said.

“It means that the much-battered retail sector and catering services may see a more minor lift than before.”

He noted that with the Kai Tak stadium able to hold an extra 10,000 spectators, the ticket revenues should increase from next year if the event is a sell-out.

“But for extra economic benefits, it depends on whether other infrastructure and government measures can attract tourists to stay longer to spend more money that can benefit other industries,” he added.

Rugby fans streamed into Wan Chai bars on Friday evening. Among them was American tourist Campbell Crockett, 25, and a friend in The Queen Victoria on Lockhart Road, where tables were all taken by around 7pm.

Crockett, an English teacher at a kindergarten in Guangzhou, said he arrived in the city on Thursday to watch the rugby.

He said it was his fourth time in Hong Kong and the first time at the Sevens.

“I love the atmosphere of the games, and I also love Hong Kong, its culture and nice people,” he said, adding that he had previously spent Christmas in the city and watched a golf tournament. He also took his parents to Hong Kong before.

Canadian businessmen Bernie Koth, 64, and Mike Joyce, 65, were enjoying dinner while listening to a live band at Carnegies bar in Wan Chai.

They arrived in Hong Kong three days ago and planned to stay for a week, mostly relaxing apart from going to the rugby for the weekend before flying back.

They said they also visited for the Sevens last year, but they have enjoyed it more this time because of the livelier atmosphere.

“Last year, it was still a little bit down as we just came out of the pandemic, but this year swings it,” Koth said, adding they would consider returning for the tournament next year although the games would be held in Kai Tak.

Stuart Jackets, owner of The Queen Victoria, said Friday’s business was about 40 per cent above the average because of the rugby, which brought more tourists as well as locals to the bar.

He said business was also 60 per cent better than during last year’s Sevens, but it still had not recovered to pre-Covid levels.

Jackets said the Sevens moving to Kai Tak would affect his bar’s business, but he remained optimistic and would consider measures to retain customers.