Bangkok--24 Dec--Francom Asia
This New Year’s Eve, Hong Kong’s world-famous Victoria Harbour will once again be the centre stage for the city’s New Year Countdown Celebrations. With stunning pyrotechnic display and lighting, the party will bring Hong Kong people and visitors together to usher in a new year.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced today (18 December) the staging of the New Year Countdown Celebrations for the third year on 31 December. Using Victoria Harbour as the backdrop and Two ifc as the main stage, the event will feature a spectacular pyrotechnic show, once again making Hong Kong the focal point of New Year’s Eve celebrations worldwide. The HKTB is inviting everyone in the community to join the party at Hong Kong Cultural Centre and along the harbourfront. To ring in the New Year, they are invited to take part in a synchronised community countdown by saying “Hong Kong Happy New Year, Give Me Five” — a celebratory gesture that symbolises joy and solidarity.
This year, the New Year Countdown Celebrations are once again supported by Sun Hung Kai Properties Limited and Henderson Land Development Company Limited, which will sponsor the entire expenses on the pyrotechnic display.
To make this year’s event even more spectacular, the HKTB will increase the number of pyrotechnic firing points by 30%, with the number of charges increasing from 6,000 to 9,000. For the first time, pyrotechnics will be arranged on the northern fa?ade of Two ifc right in front of Victoria Harbour to create 10 different patterns and three-dimensional visual effects. Another new attempt is placing 20 sets of powerful searchlights adjacent to both sides of Two ifc to enhance the lighting effect.
And to put participants into a party mood, the HKTB will arrange music and dance performances on the Viewing Deck of Hong Kong Cultural Centre before the countdown. The performances and the entire Countdown Celebrations will be projected onto the fa?ade of Hong Kong Cultural Centre for spectators to enjoy. Spectators will also be provided with inflatable cheering or bang bang sticks to create a fun party atmosphere.
The New Year Countdown Celebrations will be broadcast live by Television Broadcasts Limited. To ensure global audiences can share the excitement of Hong Kong, the HKTB will provide feed of the entire event to major television channels worldwide via satellite, while simulcast will be available on HKTB’s DiscoverHongKong.com website.
The actual countdown will commence one minute before midnight on 31 December 2009. To lead spectators in a synchronised community countdown, gigantic numerical display in LED lights, along with pyrotechnic effects, will appear on the northern fa?ade of Two ifc. As the clock strikes midnight, Two ifc and nine other buildings on Hong Kong Island will put on a four-and-a-half-minute choreographed musical pyrotechnic show, which will feature a theme song specially created for the occasion by renowned composer Mr Peter Kam.
Leveraging on the New Year Countdown Celebrations, the HKTB is collaborating with the local travel trade on related travel products, such as New Year Countdown Sightseeing Tour and New Year Countdown Harbour Cruise, to create business opportunities for trade partners.
Visitors and local residents can also enjoy the countdown at various locations in Hong Kong, including the harbourfront stretching from Avenue of Stars to Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui, the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade, the Expo Promenade around the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and the vicinity of Central piers on Hong Kong Island.