The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has announced that it will stage the “New Year - New World - Hong Kong Countdown Celebrations” on New Year’s Eve (December 31) to usher in the year 2013. Title-sponsored by New World Development Company Limited, the show will feature an eight-minute display of pyrotechnics on various buildings with the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre as the focal point. In addition, pyrotechnics will be launched on Victoria Harbour to enrich the visual experience and showcase Hong Kong’s spectacular appeal.

Hong Kong’s New Year Countdown Celebrations will not only take on a new venue and format but also be the biggest in scale in the event’s history. In terms of the venue, the show will move to Wan Chai, with the iconic Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre as the pivot and the format will include pyrotechnics on both the land and the sea for the first time. Beginning on the sea, the pyrotechnics will move landward in three layers to highlight the stunning Victoria Harbour and world-famous night vistas of Hong Kong.

The HKTB welcomes visitors to join the countdown and vantage points for viewing the show include the Hong Kong Cultural Centre Piazza, the promenade from the Avenue of Stars to Hong Kong Cultural Centre, the promenade at Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai and the area near Central Pier.