Chinese tourism officials noted that around 1.216 million tourists from Mainland China made their way to Hong Kong to celebrate Golden Week. 

According to the Hong Kong Immigration Department, visitor arrival numbers increased by approximately 100,000 from last year during the same holiday period.

221,000 travellers arrived in the special autonomous region (SAR) on 1st October, the first day of the holiday. This was significantly higher than the 177,000 recorded in the previous year.

Campaigns pay off

It should be noted that Hong Kong, through initiatives from the Hong Kong Tourism Association (HKTA) and the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TICHK), made significant efforts to draw crowds back following the pandemic.

On 1st October, up to 3,600 dining establishments throughout Hong Kong offered discounts, putting the estimated daily revenue at US$38.6 million. A number of popular sightseeing areas also ramped up their respective promotional campaigns.

Staying longer

During the holiday, around 1,100 tour groups visited Hong Kong, and around 70 percent of these tourists chose to stay at least overnight.

TICHK executive director Alice Chan likewise noted that only half of tour group participants did the same a year ago.

HKTA executive director Timothy Chui added: “Many standard hotels were booked out, and even luxury hotels were about 90 percent booked. The tourism market outperformed expectations.