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Reselling tickets to Hong Kong’s Palace Museum an offence, warns cultural hub district CEO, after asking third-party websites to take down listings
Special exhibition tickets, which cost HK$120, have been going for HK$150 to $200 online, while others that can be booked for free are being sold for HK$75. The museum, which houses some 900 relics on loan from Beijing, has issued nearly 140,000 tickets since it opened on July 3.
The head of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority has warned reselling tickets to the new Hong Kong Palace Museum is illegal and has made at least one website take down posts involving such touting.
Tickets to the newly opened and popular museum have reportedly been listed for sale at higher than face value on third-party websites. Residents complained about being asked to fork out between HK$150 to HK$200 (US$19 to US$25) for special exhibition tickets, which originally cost HK$120 each. Tickets for regular admission on Wednesday, which can be booked for free, were going for HK$75 each.
On Friday, district authority chief executive Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee said that the issue had been handled.
“This morning, we contacted the websites and asked them to remove the posts about ticket touting. They promised to comply,” she said.
“I need to point out that the arts and culture facilities in the West Kowloon hub are regulated by the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance. There are penalties … so residents must not engage in ticket touting. We will roll out tickets every month, there are enough of them, so please refrain from reselling.”
Under the ordinance, no person shall sell tickets at a price exceeding the amount fixed by the proprietor, manager or organiser of a public entertainment venue. Any person who contravenes the provisions could be fined HK$2,000.
The museum opened on July 3, showcasing about 900 relics and national treasures on loan from Beijing, and has proven to be one of the hottest tickets in town. Situated in the cultural hub, it received about 35,000 visitors in its first week.
According to the museum, nearly 140,000 admission tickets of different categories have been sold or registered since ticket sales for July commenced on June 14, accounting for about 97 per cent of all available tickets in the first month.
On Tuesday, when about 140,000 tickets for admission next month were first made available, 72,000 – or 53 per cent of the total offered – were sold or booked. That included 34,000 general admission tickets, which cost HK$50 each; and 38,000 special exhibition tickets, which cost HK$120 each.
A check by the Post on Friday found that the special exhibition tickets were sold out until the end of August, while there were still general admission tickets available on about half of the 26 days the museum would be open next month.
At a Legislative Council meeting on Friday afternoon, lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun raised the issue of ticket touting on third-party websites.
“I’m upset about this. The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority should look into it because the museum should be a place for Hong Kong residents to visit,” he said.
Meanwhile, Legco on Friday approved HK$425.1 million in funding for the West Kowloon cultural hub to enhance its facilities. That included HK$147.8 million to modify the sea wall near the M+ museum and build a landing facility for boats and water taxis on the shore of the Victoria Harbour.
Some HK$121.3 million will be spent on building the drainage, sewage and fresh water supply system on the eastern part of the cultural hub, which is currently under construction.
Tickets to the newly opened and popular museum have reportedly been listed for sale at higher than face value on third-party websites. Residents complained about being asked to fork out between HK$150 to HK$200 (US$19 to US$25) for special exhibition tickets, which originally cost HK$120 each. Tickets for regular admission on Wednesday, which can be booked for free, were going for HK$75 each.
On Friday, district authority chief executive Betty Fung Ching Suk-yee said that the issue had been handled.
“This morning, we contacted the websites and asked them to remove the posts about ticket touting. They promised to comply,” she said.
“I need to point out that the arts and culture facilities in the West Kowloon hub are regulated by the Places of Public Entertainment Ordinance. There are penalties … so residents must not engage in ticket touting. We will roll out tickets every month, there are enough of them, so please refrain from reselling.”
Under the ordinance, no person shall sell tickets at a price exceeding the amount fixed by the proprietor, manager or organiser of a public entertainment venue. Any person who contravenes the provisions could be fined HK$2,000.
The museum opened on July 3, showcasing about 900 relics and national treasures on loan from Beijing, and has proven to be one of the hottest tickets in town. Situated in the cultural hub, it received about 35,000 visitors in its first week.
According to the museum, nearly 140,000 admission tickets of different categories have been sold or registered since ticket sales for July commenced on June 14, accounting for about 97 per cent of all available tickets in the first month.
On Tuesday, when about 140,000 tickets for admission next month were first made available, 72,000 – or 53 per cent of the total offered – were sold or booked. That included 34,000 general admission tickets, which cost HK$50 each; and 38,000 special exhibition tickets, which cost HK$120 each.
A check by the Post on Friday found that the special exhibition tickets were sold out until the end of August, while there were still general admission tickets available on about half of the 26 days the museum would be open next month.
At a Legislative Council meeting on Friday afternoon, lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun raised the issue of ticket touting on third-party websites.
“I’m upset about this. The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority should look into it because the museum should be a place for Hong Kong residents to visit,” he said.
Meanwhile, Legco on Friday approved HK$425.1 million in funding for the West Kowloon cultural hub to enhance its facilities. That included HK$147.8 million to modify the sea wall near the M+ museum and build a landing facility for boats and water taxis on the shore of the Victoria Harbour.
Some HK$121.3 million will be spent on building the drainage, sewage and fresh water supply system on the eastern part of the cultural hub, which is currently under construction.
