Unlike Singapore, Hong Kong would not be able to pay for Taylor Swift concerts with taxpayer funds without disclosing amount: ex-city leader CY Leung
- ‘I don’t think the Hong Kong government can get away with paying taxpayers’ money, whatever the cause is, without telling people how much,’ ex-city leader CY Leung says
- Money not a silver bullet to lure international stars such as Taylor Swift to Hong Kong, tourism minister notes
Leung, now a vice-chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), China’s top political advisory body, also told the Post in an interview in Beijing that the government could improve its efforts in competing with rival cities to lure high-income tourists.
His comments echoed those of tourism minister Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, who on Saturday said the government would not only rely on financial strategies to attract global stars to the city.
Singapore paid the American pop star to make the city state the sole Southeast Asian stop on her world tour. Thailand’s Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin earlier claimed that Singapore had paid Swift about US$2.8 million per show under the deal.
Economists estimate the deal will contribute US$372 million in tourist receipts for the city state.
Despite suggestions by lawmakers and industry representatives that Hong Kong should follow suit in the future, former chief executive Leung said he “simply could not imagine the Hong Kong government doing that”.
“I don’t think the Hong Kong government can get away with paying taxpayers’ money, whatever the cause is, without telling people how much. Many other governments don’t do that either,” he said.
