Even Hong Kong Government can just gives you an approximate number of signboards

The colorful signboards are the icon for Hong Kong’s famous night view.

Travelers take a lot of photos for them and wonder the actual number of signboard in Hong Kong,

However even Hong Kong Government can only gives people the approximate number of signboards.

In 2010, the figure was the stunning 190,000!

 

In 2013, as Hong Kong Government wanted to regularize this beautiful city risk, it fine-tuned the number to be 120,000, which mostly were the unauthorized objects, after a city-wide survey.

Government’s action led to the destruction of dangerous signboards and the preservation campaign of old style neon light signboards, which relates to identity of so called Hong Konger and local politics.

Still new LED signboards with government approval are replacing the dated neon light billboards.

 

Frank the tour guide is willing to share more amazing figures about Hong Kong with clients during his private car tour service.

Colorful signboards’ haphazard construction became Hong Kong icon, changed to be potential risk, led to regularization and preservation politics

In 1950, neon light signboard making industry began to thrive because businessmen focused on using the extravagant and unique signboards to attract customers.

They neglected the law and build the signboards haphazardly on the wall of buildings.

Plus colonial government’s inaction, the colorful signboards became Hong Kong’s icon and made the city to be the “Pearl of Orient” in the 1980s.

 

But the heavy wooden signboards became battered and some of them even fell.

After some bloody accidents, Hong Kong SAR Government began to take action to regularize all the signboards in 2013.

A lot of outmoded and illegal neon light signboards were taken down.

Some activists began their neon light signboard preservation campaign.

 

They states that the signboard owners, the old shops, and neon light signboards’ special production process, font style etc are representing the unique colonial Hong Kong style.

To a certain extent, it becomes the Hong Kong localism supporters’ political tool to advocate their ideas.

 

However, as LED technique is cheaper, easier and more flexible and it may take the owner more than one million to renovate one old neon light signboard to get the government consent, neon light signboards are still fading slowly.

 

Frank believes LED signboards will lit Hong Kong and keep Hong Kong’s beautiful night view in the future.

Frank is eager to share more interesting numbers and data with travelers during private tour

Frank the tour guide wants to share more special and interesting figures about Hong Kong with travelers.

Hope can see you in Frank’s sunset and night tour service after Covid-19!