Community-Wide Campaign to Urge Tax Payers Spend Tax Rebate in Hong Kong’s Economy

Tax payers who present their tax rebate notice to participating restaurants and retail outlets will receive attractive discount offers as another consumer advantage of the community-led “Hong Kong Together” Campaign.

In an unprecedented effort, the “Hong Kong Together” Campaign Joint Working Committee, with the support of the Inland Revenue Department and the Hong Kong Post Office, is organising a promotion programme to echo the Financial Secretary’s initiative to offer a tax rebate to 1.7 million tax payers in Hong Kong and to encourage them to spend the tax rebate here in stimulating the local economy. The Inland Revenue Department has sent out more than 1.6 million cheques in lots beginning last Thursday (March 25).

Under this promotion plan, envelopes containing the tax rebate notice have been stamped with the “Hong Kong Together” logo and the slogan “Spend Tax Rebate Here”. In addition, hundreds of restaurants, retail outlets and hotels, including members of the Association of Restaurant Managers and the Retail Association of Hong Kong, have joined the programme and are offering various discounts to customers who present the tax rebate notice with documents verifying their identity.

“Economic principles tell us that every time someone spends money, or contributes to the local economy, this transaction creates a multiplying effect that stimulates more activities throughout the rest of economy. As a result, the local GDP will also rise – meaning that if the tax rebate totals HK$8.5 billion, and every dollar of that is spent in Hong Kong, it would bring about tremendous economic stimulation to Hong Kong,” said Mr. George Yuen, Convenor of the “Hong Kong Together” Campaign Joint Working Committee and Chief Executive of the Better Hong Kong Foundation.

“Therefore, the more you spend from your tax rebate, the faster will the economy recuperate,” added Mr. Yuen.

Companies receiving tax refunds will also be given discounts. Tax payers should look for the “Hong Kong Together” Campaign posters at participating restaurants and retail stores where discounts will be offered.

Mr. Yuen said: “The tax rebate is an excellent step in stimulating local consumption and reviving our economy. We hope that through this promotional effort, we can demonstrate to the international community the resilience of Hong Kong’s free economy.”

 

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“Hong Kong Together” is a community-led confidence building campaign aimed at uniting all sectors of our community and motivating Hong Kong people to work together to instill public confidence. This initiative is to encourage public togetherness as well as to engender much-valued civic spirit in the community. The Better Hong Kong Foundation together with representatives from 11 sectors in the community form the Joint Working Committee steering the Campaign.