Hong Kong recorded about 1.6 million visitor arrivals from October 1 to 7, around 40,000 fewer than during the previous year’s eight-day National Day Golden Week, the government task force responsible for festive arrangements said.
Mainland arrivals moved in the opposite direction: more than 1.41 million, about 10,000 above the previous year’s total. They averaged about 202,000 a day and peaked at around 277,000 on October 1. Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong executive director Fanny Yeung said the daily average was up by more than 15% year on year.
Yeung said independent travel was increasing, with visitors seeking deeper, more personalised experiences. Carrel Kam, vice-chairman of the Institute of Dining Professionals, said most restaurants and food outlets were doing well, particularly in tourist areas. Average spending was similar to previous years, he said, as more visitors favoured local experiences over luxury shopping.
Kam said members of the institute had reported business gains of 20% during the week after posting on Xiaohongshu.