Hong Kong’s economy benefited from the amount generated during the week that the Gay Games 2023 took place. The eleventh edition of the event that brings together the LGTBIQ community around sport contributed around 23.7 million euros (just over 25.5 million dollars), according to a study by the Department of Economics at Ken State University, Ohio, United States. And the Asian territory hosted only 18 sports, the rest – another 21 – went to Guadalajara (Mexico).
According to what was published in the investigation, the Gay Games created 439 new jobs before and during the days of competition, between November 3 and 11, 2023. In addition, there were 2,380 participants who attracted nearly 5,600 spectators, of which 30% were tourists.
“While we faced a number of challenges, especially in matters of safety, the entire Hong Kong Gay Games team and our dedicated volunteers worked extremely hard to make the phrase ‘Unity in Diversity’ and ‘Games for All’ a reality,” highlighted Lisa Lam and Alan Lang, co-organizers of the event.
2026 IN VALENCIA
The figure is even more notable if you consider that the 2023 venue was shared between Hong Kong and Guadalajara, with only 18 sports to watch in the Asian country. It was the first time that both Asia and Latin America received a venue for the Gay Games, a competition that is now in its 12th edition, which will be held in 2026 in Valencia, Spain.