How to Open an Event Management Company In Hong Kong

Hong Kong is the venue for countless high-profile events hosted every year.

Right from hosting corporate events to assisting on individual ones, an event management company has a special place in the booming economy of Hong Kong. 

With life slowly coming back to normal after months of lockdown due to the pandemic, Hong Kong is once again on its way to becoming a popular venue for events across the industry.

Needless to say, there is no better time than the present to know the exact procedure of opening and operating an event management company.

What are the activities performed by an event management company?

An event management company is involved in managing and marketing a host of events including corporate, public, or even private events hosted by individuals.

These events can range from conferences, corporate parties, concerts, festivals, or conventions.

As the name suggests, the primary job of an event management company is to manage all the moving parts of any event to ensure that it is a successful one.

As a result, these companies are involved right from conceptualizing the theme, lining up logistical support on the day of the event, and hiring various service providers such as caterers, photographers, performers, etc. 

Starting an event management company in Hong Kong

Like any other company that carries out a specific business activity, the first step for starting an event management company is incorporation.

This involves choosing a name for the company, confirming availability, and submitting the relevant documents to the  Companies Registry.

For more details, you can check out our comprehensive guide on registering a company in Hong Kong. 

Once you receive the Certificate of Incorporation and Business Registration Certificate, you will need to apply for a specialized business license depending on the kind of events you intend to organize.

Here’s a quick summary:

Corporate Events

The following documents need to be submitted to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department for obtaining a Place of Public Entertainment License:

• Certificate of incorporation and articles of association of the company
• Business Registration Certificate
• Address of the  Registered Office
• Copies of the recent annual returns
• Notice of Acceptance of Authorisation, signed by an authorized representative of the company. This should be supported by a resolution from the Board of Directors authorizing such a person. 

 You also need to submit a compliance report to the FEHD certifying that you fulfill all the criteria.

After that, FEHD conducts an inspection of the premise and issue you the license.

The validity period of such a license varies from 1 month to 12 months, and you will need to pay the license fee accordingly.

You can also be issued a Temporary Place of Public Entertainment License, which is valid for less than one month. 

Conducting Lotteries On-Premise

A Lottery License must be obtained by event management companies planning to host lotteries on-premises.

According to the Gambling Ordinance, a raffle or game that involves giving away prizes based on chance is defined as a lottery. 

The application form for the lottery should be made to the Television and Entertainment Licensing Authority (TELA) along with the following documents:

• A copy of your Hong Kong Identity Card
• A copy of the sample ticket for playing the lottery
• Articles of Association of the Company and certificate of incorporation
• A copy of the Business Registration Certificate
• A copy of the registered office address 
• Copies of the recent annual returns
• Notice of Acceptance of Authorisation, signed by an authorized representative of the company. This should be supported by a resolution from the Board of Directors authorizing such a person. 

Usually, TELA grants the license within 10 days. 

Trade Promotion Events

If your event management company plans to promote any business or a product through lucky draws, you must get a  Trade Promotion Competition License from TELA. 

The application form for the lottery should be made to TELA along with the following documents:

• A copy of your Hong Kong Identity Card
• A copy of the sample ticket for playing the lottery
• Articles of Association of the Company and certificate of incorporation
• A copy of the Business Registration Certificate
• A copy of the registered office address 
• Copies of the recent annual returns
• Notice of Acceptance of Authorisation, signed by an authorized representative of the company. This should be supported by a resolution from the Board of Directors authorizing such a person. 

Usually, TELA grants the license within 7 days. 

If you are organizing amusement games

If your event management company plans to organize amusement games such as fetes, funfairs, or bazaars, you need an Amusement with Prizes License along with a Place of Public Entertainment License.

TELA issues the Amusement with Prizes License.

You need to submit the following documents, along with the list of types of prizes and a brief description of the games that you intend to host.  

• A copy of your Hong Kong Identity Card
• A copy of the sample ticket for playing the lottery
• Articles of Association of the Company and certificate of incorporation
• A copy of the Business Registration Certificate
• A copy of the registered office address 
• Copies of the recent annual returns
• Notice of Acceptance of Authorisation, signed by an authorized representative of the company. This should be supported by a resolution from the Board of Directors authorizing such a person. 

Packaged Food for Sale

If your event management company is engaged in such businesses, you will need a Food Factory license from the FEHD.

You need to submit the application form along with the following documents:

• Certified true copies of the scaled metric layout plans of the premise.
• Certificate of incorporation and articles of association of the company
• Business Registration Certificate
• Address of the  Registered Office
• Copies of the recent annual returns
• Notice of Acceptance of Authorisation, signed by an authorized representative of the company. This should be supported by a resolution from the Board of Directors authorizing such a person. 

 You also need to submit a compliance report to the FEHD for verification as FEHD inspects the premise.

After that, the FEHD will issue the license and the fees will depend on the gross floor area of the premises. 

Pre-cooked Food for Sale

If you are planning to sell pre-cooked food as part of the activities of your event management company, you will need a Temporary Food Factory License issued by FEHD.

The application form, along with the layout of the premises should be submitted along with the following documents:

• certified true copies of the scaled metric layout plans of the premise.
• Certificate of incorporation and articles of association of the company
• Business Registration Certificate
• Address of the Registered Office
• Copies of the recent annual returns
• Notice of Acceptance of Authorisation, signed by an authorized representative of the company. This should be supported by a resolution from the Board of Directors authorizing such a person. 

 The temporary license is usually valid for 1 week. 

Events in Public Places

In case your event management company is hosting events such as operas, musicals, bazaars, contests, exhibitions, etc., in public areas, you need to obtain a Place of Public Entertainment License from FEHD.

You need to submit the following documents to the department: 

• Layout plans of the premises and the details of the adjacent buildings, lots, and public thoroughfares.
• Details of the Fire Service Installations.
• Diagrams of any structure that involves lighting, cooling, electrical, ventilation, or mechanical apparatus.

These documents should be submitted at least 42 days before the event. 

In addition to the above, your event management company also needs specific licenses for certain activities.

These are:

• Displaying advertising materials of films – Certificate for Advertising Materials which is issued by TELA 
• Public screening of a movie – Certificate of Approval issued by TELA
• Selling alcohol for consumption in the premises where the event is held – Liquor Licence issued by the Liquor Licencing Board
• Using or operating portable transceivers during your event – Private Mobile Radio Systems License from the Telecommunications Department 
• Organizing lion or dragon dance at the event – Lion Dance Permit or Dragon Dance Permit from the Hong Kong Police Force
• Organizing any pyrotechnics or non-pyrotechnics special effects during the events – Special Effects License or Discharge Permit from the Film Services Office

Need more? 

Given the various licenses and paperwork involved in setting up an event management company in Hong Kong can feel challenging.

To save time and resources, you should hire the services of a professional company such as Air Corporate.

Our team of experts can take care of the incorporation process and also help you with securing the relevant licenses.

Incorporate your event management company in Hong Kong in less than 48 hours with Air Corporate today.

Focus on your business. We take care of the rest.