Hong Kong’s tourist figures have continued to lag below pre-pandemic levels, with May’s 3.4 million provisional visitor arrivals just 57 per cent of the 5.9 million recorded in May 2019.
Since fully reopening its borders last February after three years of Covid-related isolation, Hong Kong’s tourism recovery has been led by visitors from mainland China. In May, 2.6 million arrivals came from north of the border, accounting for 77 per cent of the month’s total, according to data released by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) on Monday.
Other markets have been slower to rebound, in part because flight capacity remains reduced, with 206,035 long-haul arrivals, typically those who spend longer and more money, in May.
The city is not just contending with fewer arrivals, with a document about the HKTB’s outlook for the current fiscal year noting that both the “travel and consumption habits of visitors have changed.” Fewer people are visiting Hong Kong to shop, while more are in search of experiences – albeit not always those that cost money. Visitors are expected to spend 16 per cent less in Hong Kong than last year.
According to a survey of departing visitors conducted by the HKTB, tourists hope for “for photo hotspots and must-see experiences recommended online, and put more emphasis on the spiritual satisfaction brought by cultural experiences.”
In an effort to increase arrivals and boost the economy, the government has sought to position Hong Kong as the “events capital of Asia,” highlighting existing large-scale happenings such as the Hong Kong Sevens, Art Basel Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Marathon to drive tourism.
Last month, the city’s deputy finance chief Michael Wong predicted that the 210 “mega events” calendared for 2024 would add HK$4.3 billion to the economy.
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