Hong Kong Sports Industry Contributed HK$70 Billion to GDP in 2024, Supporting 84,000 Jobs
Crhk · 2 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Census and Statistics Department published figures on Hong Kong's sports and related activities economic contribution for 2024. At basic prices, the sector's value added reached HK$46 billion, representing approximately 1.5% of Hong Kong's total value added, consistent with 2023 levels. At market prices, the sports sector contributed HK$70 billion to GDP, an increase of HK$20 billion year-on-year, accounting for 2.2% of total GDP, though this represented a slight decline of 0.1 percentage points from the previous year. The industry supported 84,000 workers, constituting 2.3% of total employment.
Key Points
- The sports sector generated HK$70 billion in GDP at market prices in 2024, with HK$46 billion in value added at basic prices
- Employment reached 84,000 workers, representing 2.3% of Hong Kong's total workforce
- Sports support services and other activities—including facility construction, betting, publishing and broadcasting—formed the largest segment at 39% of total value added, employing 23,000 people
- Sports facilities and club operations, covering public and private venues and professional sports organisations, accounted for 35% of value added and employed 39,000 people, the highest among all segments
- Sports tourism represented the smallest segment, contributing just 5% of value added and employing 6,000 workers
Why It Matters
The data underscores the growing economic significance of Hong Kong's sports industry, which now employs more people than many traditional sectors. With the largest employment share concentrated in facilities and club operations, infrastructure investment could yield substantial returns in job creation and GDP contribution. The relative underdevelopment of sports tourism, at only 5% of the sector, suggests untapped potential for leveraging major sporting events to attract visitors and boost the economy.
The data underscores the growing economic significance of Hong Kong's sports industry, which now employs more people than many traditional sectors. With the largest employment share concentrated in facilities and club operations, infrastructure investment could yield substantial returns in job creation and GDP contribution. The relative underdevelopment of sports tourism, at only 5% of the sector, suggests untapped potential for leveraging major sporting events to attract visitors and boost the economy.