Hong Kong draws over 1 million mainland ‘golden week’ visitors but spending lags
1 million visitors, 10% increase, yet spending remains inconsistent across sectors.
Hong Kong’s Labour Day golden week holiday brought 1.01 million mainland Chinese visitors, a 10% increase over last year and above the government’s 980,000 forecast. Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki cited double-digit revenue growth for some shopping centre operators and a roughly 20% rise in tourist-area catering business. Hotel occupancy reached 90%, with room rates 10% higher than previous long holidays. Authorities also stepped up enforcement on the MacLehose Trail, issuing 19 fines for littering and illegal camping.
However, Annie Tse Yau On-yee, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, noted that tourist consumption only benefited traditional tourism districts like Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok, and Causeway Bay, and that overall spending was inconsistent. The data suggests rising visitor volume does not translate evenly into broad economic gains, highlighting structural gaps in Hong Kong’s post-pandemic tourism recovery.
- 1.01 million mainland tourists visited Hong Kong during May 1-5, 10% more than last year and exceeding the 980,000 forecast.
- Shopping centres saw double-digit revenue growth; catering in tourist areas rose 20% year-on-year.
- Despite higher visitor numbers, retail spending remained inconsistent and concentrated in traditional districts like Tsim Sha Tsui and Mong Kok.
Why It Matters
Rising tourist volume masks uneven spending patterns, challenging Hong Kong’s retail and tourism recovery strategy.