Hong Kong mainland arrivals during holiday opening surpass 2018 level

Hong Kong recorded 511,311 arrivals from mainland China during the first two days of the National Day “golden week” holiday, exceeding the 508,578 recorded during the comparable period in 2018, according to Immigration Department figures. The total covered arrivals on Thursday and Friday. Mainland visitors numbered 277,304 on the first day, compared with 247,626 on the opening day of the 2018 holiday.

The second day brought 234,007 visitors, below the 260,952 recorded on the equivalent day that year. Rosanna Law Shuk-pui, Hong Kong’s Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the first day’s mainland arrivals had surpassed the pre-pandemic high. She also said many visitors had arrived early for the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Law expressed confidence that Hong Kong would reach its annual target of 53.8 million visitors earlier than expected. The target, set at the beginning of the year, is 8 per cent above the 49.89 million arrivals recorded in 2025. She said global conditions remained a challenge, particularly in Southeast Asia, where short-haul travellers’ willingness to visit and spend had been affected by high airfares.

Law said she hoped to resume promotional visits to Southeast Asian markets when conditions stabilised. She also pointed to local events as part of efforts to attract visitors. A Mid-Autumn lantern carnival at Victoria Park, organised by the Tourism Board together with retail and catering sectors, had received a strong response, she said.

Law said the event helped present Hong Kong’s East-meets-West character. She added that authorities would seek a better understanding of travellers’ preferences and adjust promotional efforts accordingly. The latest figures cover only the first two days of the holiday and do not establish the final visitor total for the period.

The tourism chief’s annual projection remains dependent on arrivals during the rest of the year and broader travel conditions.