Hong Kong welcomed 26.71 million visitors in the first half of 2026, a 13% increase year-on-year. Arrivals from mainland China rose 16% and foreign tourists 5%. Spending patterns are shifting towards culture and experiences, with per capita spending by overnight visitors projected to reach HK$5,530 in 2026.
Hong Kong's retail sales increased by 8.6% year-on-year in April, reaching HK$31.4 billion. This marks the 12th consecutive month of recovery, driven by visitor arrivals and holiday spending. Sales for the first four months of 2026 are up 11.3%.
Hong Kong’s tourism sectors have entered 2026 with renewed momentum. The broader economy has strengthened, expanding by 5.9 per cent in the first quarter, its fastest pace in nearly five years. Visitor arrivals also reached 14.3 million in the first quarter, up 17 per cent year on year. The recent Labour Day “golden week” holiday offered a further boost, with the city receiving more than 1 million mainland visitors. Across the border, travel volumes reached unprecedented levels, with an...
Hong Kong received more than 1 million mainland Chinese visitors during the five-day Labour Day “golden week” holiday, a 10 per cent rise from a year ago, exceeding government expectations, but industry leaders said their spending was uneven. Immigration Department data showed the city recorded 1.01 million mainland visitor arrivals between May 1 and 5, surpassing the forecast of 980,000. Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki said on Wednesday some shopping centre operators had reported year-on-year...
Hong Kong recorded more than 76,000 mainland Chinese visitor arrivals on the first morning of the five-day Labour Day “golden week”, with many heading to the countryside for scenic views and others opting for “city walks” to explore picturesque corners of the city. Some early arrivals headed straight to the countryside after getting off at West Kowloon rail terminus on Friday morning. University student Chen Hongjie, 18, was all geared up to hike the MacLehose Trail on his first day in the city...
A study by Hong Kong Polytechnic University and Think China suggests Hong Kong should shift its tourism strategy from volume to value, as mainland visitors display increasingly selective consumption habits despite a recovery in arrival numbers.
