In tandem with Hong Kong's economic transformation since the 1980s, the former industrial districts of Kowloon East (KE) have assumed a very different function. Thanks to good market sense and first-mover initiatives of some private developers, high grade office buildings and retail centres have emerged in KE. The Kwun Tong, Kowloon Bay and San Po Kong Business Areas together with Kai Tak Development Area have sustained Hong Kong's economic growth by contributing steady new office supply in KE in the past years since implementation of the Energizing KE initiative. Since then, the commercial (including office) floor space in KE has been increased more than one fold to about 3.7 million m2 currently. Taking into account projects under construction or attained relevant approval, together with the major planned commercial developments in Kwun Tong, Kowloon Bay and Kai Tak, the commercial floor space in KE will increase to more than 4 million m2, comparable to the scale of Central CBD.

“Survey on Business Establishments in Kowloon East 2023” was carried out to shed light on the profile of business establishments in the course of the transformation process of KE into Hong Kong’s CBD2. Major findings of the Survey are summarized in the executive summary below.