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Hong Kong’s party district Lan Kwai Fong could see a 20 to 25 per cent jump in business this Halloween compared with last year, according to a nightlife tycoon, who cited a “crazy” week-long build-up of costumed revellers and “fully booked” venues. Lan Kwai Fong Group chairman Allan Zeman, also dubbed the father of the nightlife district in Central, joined in the festivities leading up to Halloween by cosplaying as the character Wednesday from the Addams Family while walking on a red carpet in a public appearance earlier this month to help promote tourism in the city. With so many revellers expected to crowd the streets at Lan Kwai Fong, police imposed special traffic arrangements by closing roads in the area from 2pm in D’Aguilar Street between Wyndham Street and Wellington Street, Lan Kwai Fong, Wing Wah Lane, Wo On Lane, Wellington Street between Wyndham Street and D’Aguilar Street and On Lan Street. Police warned that more roads in the area could be sealed off depending on the crowd situation. Zeman said on Friday his forecast was based on business being “much, much better” in recent months and the festival falling on a Friday. “I’m looking at anywhere from 20 per cent, 25 per cent above last year. Lan Kwai Fong has been crazy with many, many people dressed up in different costumes … all week. So there’s a momentum building for tonight,” he said. “We have a lot of pre-bookings. A lot of the bars and restaurants have been booked, fully booked, actually. “Business the last few months has been much, much better in Hong Kong and Lan Kwai Fong. So I’m expecting it’ll be very, very good.” Zeman added that Halloween coinciding on Friday would make it “a very good night”, because people could stay out late given that fewer people worked on the weekend. Lan Kwai Fong Association’s director Anthea Cheung said some operators had launched “Halloween party tickets with early bird discounts to drive pre-bookings”. She said restaurants at Lan Kwai Fong were using “structured first and second seating sessions” and bars were “promoting free-flow drink packages to ensure higher per-capita spend”. However, Ben Leung Lap-yan, charter president of the Licensed Bar and Club Association of Hong Kong, raised operators’ concerns about a repeat of history in recent years that revellers packed streets without spending, which forced them to lower prices at the expense of their profit margins to attract customers. “This is of course a problem that our industry operators are worried about,” Leung said. “After all, Hong Kong’s high rent and high wages are also putting pressure on our operators. Consumers are also inclined to choose high value-for-money options.” But Zeman rejected the idea that low spending was a new norm, arguing the problem was limited to unpopular venues and that “Lan Kwai Fong is not a cheap place”. “The good operators, their businesses have been very decent,” Zeman said.
