At this festive Halloween when Hong Kong bustles and throbs amid massive celebratory events, grief and horror have engulfed South Koreans following the deadly stampede in Seoul's Itaewon amid the Halloween revelry on the night of October 29th. While critics are calling for abandoning the somehow perilous festivities, I'm of the opinion that Halloween should continue to be celebrated here in town.
Celebrating Halloween allows Hong Kong to polish its image as an international city. It's not rocket science that Halloween hailed from the West, but nowhere are Halloween celebrations more thrilling than those in Hong Kong given Hong Kong's long-held status as an international financial hub. Locals and even foreigners would soak it up in the past in bustling Lan Kwai Fong. Yet, with the city's stringent COVID-19 restrictions and hotel quarantine, many speculated Hong Kong was forever locking its doors to the outside world and giving way to our rival, Singapore. Now, as the virus takes a back seat, isn't it like like Christmas coming early for us to salvage our international image? To accomplish this, we can undoubtedly allow large-scale festivities, starting with Halloween parties involving both locals and foreigners at Lan Kwai Fong. With that, critics will be convinced that we are finally opening up after three years of pandemic-induced hiatus, and Hong Kong is certain to make a comeback in the international arena with a vengeance.
As people make the most of Halloween comes more spending, in turn boosting the economy. Delectable foods like sashimi, presents and eccentric costumes for the Halloween extravanga are irresistible and essential when it comes to such special occasions. While Hong Kongers are too busy to avail themselves of the consumption vouchers, Halloween makes for a perfect time for them to unwind, and with that they're more than willing to splurge on upscale items just for such a lovely occasion. And all this goes right back to our ailing economy: Isn't it a timely boost to the ailing economy that's headed south for a long while?
Provided such upsides as polishing our image as an international hub and boosting the economy, Hongkongers should be all for celebrating Halloween.
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