Hong Kong malls bet on Asian Games to boost footfall, tenant sales amid spending shifts

Hong Kong shopping mall operators are extending a strategy used during this year’s Fifa World Cup into the Asian Games, leveraging major sporting events to draw visitors and support tenant sales as retailers face competition from Shenzhen, overseas shopping and online spending.

Sino Group is among the landlords expanding the strategy beyond tournament broadcasts. It has projected foot traffic across its four malls to increase during its Asian Games campaign, with selected merchants forecast to record double-digit year-on-year sales growth.

The strategy builds on the group’s experience during the World Cup, when foot traffic across three flagship malls rose by about 10 to 15 per cent year on year and overall sales recorded double-digit growth.