Good times never seemed so good!

"Give kids the freedom to run around the playground and have fun without a mask"

This weekend as the South Stand opened at full throttle; they drowned out the negative nellies. Good times never seemed so good! 

The Hong Kong Rugby Union deserve our heartfelt thanks and appreciation for taking up the challenge to stage the event now. Full credit to fellow Yorkshireman Robbie McRobbie, CEO of the Rugby Union.

The Hong Kong Sevens started in 1976 at the Hong Kong Football Club due to a few beers around the bar one night. That decision paved the way for Hong Kong to develop what became the gold standard of Rugby Sevens tournaments globally.

Since those early days, the Sevens developed an iconic status as Hong Kong’s biggest party. And for sure Hong Kong needed a party after years of Covid, layered atop civil unrest and the financial downturn. And what a party. Yes, the numbers were down, as the naysayers pointed out. But, of course, you expect that with seating capacity limitations allied to ongoing travel restrictions. Yet, you wouldn't know that from the vibe in the stadium.

A few pundits got their knickers in a twist as folks sometimes flouted the mask rules. Still, exercising an appropriate level of discretion was the right approach. As The Hong Kong Standard pointed out, the public is ahead of the administration on readiness for relaxation. Still, even the Security of Security, Chris Tang, (sans masks) took a walk through the South Stand, posing for photographs with spectators. 

Last week's Global Financial Leaders Summit, the Sevens and this week's legal conference affirm that the government is pulling out all the stops to market Hong Kong's strengths. Thankfully attempts by western politicians to use Hong Kong as a tool in their struggle to suppress China fell flat. They'd called for boycotts, which failed.

What of the future? With our prime location in the heart of Asia, infrastructure, transport links, efficient services, and wide use of English, the sky is the limit to developing new and engaging events in Hong Kong. 

Several massive new venues will come on stream over the next 3-5 years. Thus, we need a plan to win back lost talent for the Kai Tak Sports Park, West Kowloon Cultural District, AsiaWorld-Expo/11 Skies and East Kowloon Cultural Centre.

Over 200,000 jobs have been lost in the tourism, convention and exhibition sectors during Covid. Hence, acute staffing shortages will dog the industry for some time, and there is still uncertainty about the pace and scope of the return to normal. 

In the meantime, voices are calling for us to develop a comprehensive strategy for the events sector. Airline capacity constraints, Covid rules, competing destinations, workforce supply limits and a strong currency will hamper the rebound. A return of the millions of Mainland visitors is improbable any time soon. 

So, use this time wisely to understand how we want to position Hong Kong as an events capital, set ambitious goals, and make those goals come true.

In the immediate future, scrap the vast majority of Covid restrictions, such as the onerous and costly PCR tests for people competing in events or working in the entertainment and hospitality industries. 

Covid restrictions were justified early on when the disease was new, vaccine rates low, and treatment protocols were being tweaked. But we've progressed a long way since 2020 and 2021. Covid is endemic - RAT tests will suffice if testing is still required. 

Further, we need to start normalising not wearing masks. Give kids the freedom to run around the playground and have fun without a mask. Finally, and most importantly, the worst is over; let us celebrate the success of Hong Kong.