About 277,000 mainland visitors arrived in Hong Kong on October 1, exceeding the roughly 260,000 mainland arrivals recorded in 2018, according to Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law.
The Immigration Department forecast about 1.29 million mainland visitors over the seven-day holiday, with average daily arrivals expected to rise by about 5% year on year. Law said she was very confident Hong Kong would reach its annual target of 53.8 million visitors.
She also warned that the recovery remained exposed to travel costs and global conditions. Flight capacity has not fully recovered, while high oil prices and more expensive air tickets could affect short-haul markets, particularly Southeast Asia, by reducing visitors’ willingness to travel and their spending once here. She said the government hoped to resume more promotion in those markets if conditions became more stable.
Law said visitor spending habits had changed worldwide, with travellers less likely to buy several versions of the same product. The tourism strategy would therefore put greater emphasis on experiences and creative products, including items sold by shopping malls in collaboration with designers and artists; she said these had performed very well.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board plans Halloween activities and a food-and-wine festival at the end of October, Law said.