Hong Kong sees 600,000 visitor arrivals over three days, up 34 per cent year on year
Hong Kong recorded about 600,000 visitor arrivals from Friday to Sunday, a 34 per cent increase from last year. Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki said major events boosted spending and cross-border traffic, with the Hung Hom checkpoint seeing record usage.
Chief Secretary for Administration Chan Kwok-ki said about 600,000 visitors arrived in Hong Kong from Friday 31 October to Sunday 2 November, a 34 per cent increase compared with the same period last year. Of these, around 470,000 were from mainland China and 130,000 from elsewhere, he wrote on a social media platform.
Over the weekend, more than 150,000 Hong Kong residents and visitors used the Hung Hom checkpoint each day on Saturday and Sunday, setting a new record. Chan noted that between midnight and 2am on 1 November, over 20,000 people used the checkpoint to leave Hong Kong, also a record high.
Chan attributed the surge to a series of large-scale events in the city, including the Wine and Dine Festival at the Central Harbourfront, a major concert at Kai Tak Sports Park, and Halloween activities. He said industry feedback showed that bar business revenue rose 30 to 50 per cent year on year over the past two weekends. The Wine and Dine Festival attracted more than 171,000 visitors, up over 5 per cent year on year, with revenue rising about 8 per cent.
“These figures show that mega events not only boost the atmosphere but also convert visitor flows into consumption, business opportunities and economic momentum,” Chan said, describing the result as “thriving both in people and wealth”.
He said authorities had prepared in advance by opening all lanes,自助通道 and counters before the peak period to manage the flow of people and vehicles. The Transport and Logistics Bureau had coordinated with the transport sector to add overnight express bus services from Central directly to Hung Hom, ensuring smooth cross-border travel.
Chan thanked frontline colleagues and also acknowledged the assistance of mainland authorities in extending the operating hours of the Shenzhen Bay checkpoint to facilitate visitors. He said the Hong Kong government would work with all sectors to review the arrangements and continue improving cross-border coordination, using mega events to promote tourism, tourism to drive consumption, and consumption to stimulate the economy.