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A local street dancer beat out 15 other hopefuls on Sunday afternoon, winning the chance to represent Hong Kong for the first time in an international dance competition in Germany.  Lam Yuet Wing, 32, who performs as Bobby, won a majority of audience votes at the Red Bull Dance Your Style competition at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. He will compete against 29 international dance groups in Frankfurt in November. The audience selected the winner using different colored fans to show their vote. The outdoor competition was open to the public with a free after party for both dancers and registered audience members.  Lam started dancing in 2006 and is known for the dance style “popping”—a category of street dance that involves rapid contraction and relaxation of muscles, giving the dancer a pop feeling to match the beat. "My first competition was held at the Hong Kong Cultural Centre. I didn't even make it into the audition,” he said. “The second time I attempted battle in the venue was today, and I got the award." “Since I just injured my leg, now I will heal my wounds and equip myself to go to Germany for exchange," Lam said.   He also added, ”No matter if I lose or win, I will experience more abroad and bring more knowledge to Hong Kong”.  “The event was fun and we saw a lot of exciting battles today,”said Chu Yung Chuen, 25, an audience member who also is a dancer. “The atmosphere of the event was very good. Many people gathered here, and I enjoyed it very much,” said Tsui Tsz Hung, 24, an audience member.  

A new survey released yesterday by the Hong Kong Department Stores and Commercial Staff General Union has found that 69.5% of the respondents supported establishing night markets in Hong Kong. Of the 1,862 people polled between Aug. 24 and Sep. 1, 77% said food was the great attraction in night markets, followed by retail goods at around 62%. Shows and live performances ranked third.  The study comes ahead of the launch of the “Night Vibes Hong Kong” campaign which aims to invigorate the local night economy after the pandemic. 73.6% of the respondents also said that the location and transportation accessibility at night markets matter and another 63.4% were concerned about hygiene. “I think this campaign is a wise move to revive the economy and tourism. Nightlife in Hong Kong has gradually faded away,” said Leung Wai-bing, 68, a retired vendor in Kwun Tong. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and finance chief Chan Mo-po have been telling the public that Hong Kong needs to revitalise its night time economy since last month and will launch the “Night Vibe Hong Kong” campaign on Thursday at West Kowloon. Chung Pok-man, general officer of Hong Kong Department Stores and Commercial Staff General Union, said at the press conference on Tuesday that the preference of mainland tourists, which make up  the largest proportion of visitors, has shifted from shopping to cultural tourism. The union recommended establishing long-term night markets which can gradually transform to tourist attractions and provide venues for young people to start new businesses. The report also proposed to organise short-term thematic bazaars near  popular activities such as sports events, festivals, and concerts. Night markets can be set up in different districts to boost the flow of people, since many tourist areas attract few visitors after 8 p.m., according to the union.  …

To thank passengers, the MTR offered half fares in April. 8 and 9, as well as on May. 13 and 14. This is the first of its kind offer applicable to travel on MTR, Light Rail and MTR bus. The MTR half-fare subsidy can encourage people to make long-distance trips. Half-fare concessions can promote spending, and some people want to enjoy half-fare concessions on weekdays. The MTR's half-fare subsidy for April began two days ago. This deal includes MTR service to and from Lok Ma Chau Station and Lo Wu Station. Compared to earlier in the week, there has been a noticeable rise in the number of people using the East Rail Line, with many choosing to take the MTR today and tomorrow to get to Shenzhen. Except for the Airport Express, the trip from the city to the port or any other area on that day can enjoy half price, meaning people can enjoy a HK$1 trip at the lowest price. At around 4 pm on April. 8, the East Rail Line had more passengers than the Kwun Tong Line. More passengers were boarding at Shatin and University stations. Kelly Zhao, 21, a Hong Kong Polytechnic University student, travels to Shenzhen once a week for dining and shopping. From Hung Hom Station to Lo Wu, transportation costs about $39 per person. "The price is a little expensive for me, but I'm going to Shenzhen twice this week due to the MTR discount of half-fare,” she said. Lee Ka Ming, 33, had just returned from a shopping spree. "I hope the half-fare concessions on the MTR will be extended for a longer period of time, as the daily commute is too expensive, and it would be better if there were discounts on weekdays," Ming said. Passengers can get more savings …