Editorial | Hong Kong sports park scores in undisputed comeback for tourist numbers
After witnessing a flood of arrivals from both near and far in May, Hong Kong can rightly celebrate its return as a global destination
The city’s leaders have long proclaimed, “Hong Kong is back!” It has taken a while for that to be fully reflected on the ground after the pandemic restrictions on top of the 2019 protests.
But the latest tourism figures leave no doubt, no matter whether they are down to the number of visitors, where they are from, or who the big spenders are.
The 4 million-plus visitors in May, including mainlanders, surpassed the number for the same month last year by 20 per cent overall.
The potential for more growth in thriving new markets has led to calls for relaxed entry rules for tourists from Vietnam and India in particular – a sensible move. Currently, Indians need to register before arrival for visa-free entry, while Vietnamese require a visa.
Mainlanders, of course, dominated arrivals, accounting for more than 3 million in May – if not the biggest spending per head.
They were up 19 per cent according to preliminary figures, which reflected the five-day Labour Day break. Hence the emphasis on sating their appetite for unique experiences rather than shopping.
The number of non-mainland tourists also leapt by 24 per cent from May last year to 955,345. Five new markets – Gulf Cooperation Council countries, India, Vietnam, Russia and the Netherlands – averaged 21 per cent year-on-year growth, to 74,746 arrivals.