The 1.41 million mainland Chinese visitors who arrived in the city during the holiday exceeded the 1.29 million recorded over the same period last year and surpassed official forecasts.
Chan Kwok-ki, chief secretary for administration of the city, said the holiday featured a range of events, including a fireworks display and a horse race on Oct. 1, which drew more than 378,000 and nearly 30,000 spectators, respectively, Xinhua News Agency reported.
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Tourists take photos in front of Victoria Harbor, in Tsim Sha Tsui, in Hong Kong, April 29, 2024. Photo by Reuters |
Hotels also benefited from the surge in visitors.
Edward Leung Hei, chairman of the Hong Kong Feast and Retreat Association, told The Standard that hotels operated by the group were fully booked during the holiday, boosting overall revenue by 10%.
He attributed the strong performance to major events, including the National Day fireworks display, an extended Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival at Victoria Park and K-pop concerts, which encouraged visitors to stay longer.
Hong Kong received 5.5 million visitors in August, an increase of 6% year-on-year and the highest monthly figure since the Covid-19, driven by major international MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) events and mega events.
In the first eight months of this year, Hong Kong recorded 36.67 million visitor arrivals, a 11% increase over the same period last year.
The city expects to welcome 53 million visitors this year.