Follow Hong Kong Immigration and Hong Kong Life: The Hong Kong Tourism Board will spend HKD 13 million this year to create the largest New Year's Eve countdown event ever.
The Tourism Board announced on the 17th that this year's New Year's Eve countdown event will introduce fireworks for the first time, combined with pyrotechnics, lights, and music, presenting an 8-minute "Fireworks Music Show" over Victoria Harbour to welcome the arrival of 2014.
This event, touted as the largest New Year's Eve countdown ever, will focus on the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with seven buildings in the nearby Wan Chai and Admiralty areas launching fireworks from their rooftops.
Mr. Hong Chung-hing, General Manager of Programme and Product Development at the Tourism Board, stated that the height of the fireworks and pyrotechnics will vary, and the range will be broader and higher than in previous years; additionally, six layers of fireworks will be launched from the sea in front of Tsim Sha Tsui to the Victoria Harbour Centre, extending towards the skyline, creating a grand scene connecting both sides of the harbour.
Mr. Hong also revealed that the newly introduced fireworks designs are visually appealing, incorporating heart shapes and smiley faces to enhance the festive atmosphere of the New Year. At the moment of entering the new year, a giant LED screen located next to the Convention Centre will display the large characters "2014".
According to the Tourism Board, the countdown event will commence at 11 PM that night, with the seven participating buildings first launching "Wishing Shooting Stars" fireworks from their rooftops, symbolizing different meanings, allowing spectators to make wishes for the new year together.
Mr. Lam Kin-yuet, Chairman of the Tourism Board, expects that this year's New Year's Eve countdown event will attract 400,000 people to watch from both sides of the harbour.
Hong Kong was ranked first by CNN as one of the "Top Ten Cities in the World with the Most Unique New Year's Eve Celebrations". The Tourism Board spent HKD 12 million last year to create the countdown event. This year's countdown event continues to receive sponsorship from New World Development Company Limited.
