LCQ20: Ticketing system operated under LCSD

Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

LCQ20: Ticketing system operated under LCSD      
Question:

     Despite the decline in the annual number of tickets sold on the Urban Ticketing System (URBTIX) under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) from about 5 million in 2012 to about 3.28 million last year, the expenditure on its system management has risen instead of falling. In addition, some groups from the performing arts and culture sectors have indicated that URBTIX, unlike some private ticketing systems, does not provide value-added services such as publicity, promotion and audience data analysis, and its function are limited and outdated. This hinders performing groups from attracting more audiences and increasing revenue, and fails to align with the Government’s policy objective of promoting the introduction of a market-based business model into the LCSD venues. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council: 

 (Based on the events completed in the respective year)(3) The relevant figures of events held at non-LCSD performance venues (including the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, the Hong Kong Arts Centre, the West Kowloon Cultural District, the Youth Square, the Kai Tak Sports Park, cinemas, specific sites and spaces, venues at tertiary institutions etc.) with tickets sold on or issued by URBTIX from 2023 to 2025 are tabulated as follows:
 

 (Based on the events completed in the respective year)(4) The total number of tickets issued by URBTIX is affected by various factors, including the hiring situation of performance venues, scale of events, programming and promotion strategies of event organisers, and market demand. At the same time, different event organisers may also collaborate with other commercial ticketing platforms in the market to promote the programmes and sell tickets through multiple channels based on their business considerations.

     URBTIX operates under a public-private partnership approach, and achieved a cost recovery of over 110 per cent and over 95 per cent in 2023-24 and 2024-25 respectively. The LCSD will continue to review the operation of URBTIX, work with the system contractor to enhance the relevant functions and services taking into account market conditions, and actively respond to the needs of event organisers, with a view to providing ticketing solutions and value-added services that better cater to their events.Issued at HKT 11:55

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