Hong Kong Jockey Club has taken another step in its mainland expansion by signing a memorandum of understanding with the Guangzhou City Municipal Culture, Radio, Television, and Tourism Bureau. The agreement, signed on March 17, aims to promote horse culture, sports, and tourism across the Greater Bay Area (GBA). At its core, the partnership introduces the “Two Cities, Three Racecourses” concept. This idea links Hong Kong’s Happy Valley Racecourse and Sha Tin Racecourse with Guangzhou’s Conghua Racecourse.
Building the Framework
The agreement focuses on developing horse culture while expanding racing-driven tourism across the GBA. More importantly, both parties are aligning efforts to strengthen the racing ecosystem through coordinated initiatives. These include policy coordination, joint promotion, tourism product development, and support for racing events. In addition, the partners plan to elevate international-standard racing, with major cultural and sporting activities scheduled at Conghua Racecourse starting in October. As a result, Guangzhou aims to position itself as a world-class tourism destination. Meanwhile, Hong Kong reinforces its role as Asia’s leading events hub. By connecting the three racecourses, both cities can attract visitors who see horse racing as part of a broader travel experience. Rather than being a standalone activity, racing becomes part of a wider journey.
Expanding Racing Tourism
Beyond racing itself, the agreement emphasizes the creation of “one-trip, multi-stop” travel products. These combine race meetings with premium tourism experiences. Such offerings target high-value domestic and international travelers, encouraging them to explore both Hong Kong and Guangzhou in a single journey. Consequently, racing events become part of a curated, high-end travel experience rather than isolated attractions. Meanwhile, Conghua Racecourse has already introduced key measures to support this model. These include streamlined horse transport and quarantine systems, as well as allowing Hong Kong and international veterinarians to operate on-site. These steps simplify cross-border logistics and make it easier to host global-standard racing events.
Strengthening Cross-Border Collaboration
This memorandum builds on a 2021 framework agreement between the Hong Kong Jockey Club and the Guangzhou city government. That initial agreement first established cooperation in developing the horse racing industry, with Conghua identified as a strategic hub. Now, with the October racing season approaching, the new agreement pushes the partnership into a more practical phase. The “Two Cities, Three Racecourses” concept is no longer just a vision—it is becoming a working model for integrating sports, culture, and tourism across borders. Ultimately, this collaboration positions Hong Kong and Guangzhou as a leading example of regional synergy within the Greater Bay Area. Therefore, it unlocks new opportunities for tourism growth and industry development.
