Hong Kong records 72% jump in mainland Chinese tourists over long New Year break

Hong Kong welcomed nearly 660,000 mainland Chinese visitors over the new year countdown and the subsequent three-day holiday across the border, a 72 per cent increase from the same period a year ago.

Sector representatives said the surge was a boost for the hotel sector but brought limited benefits for retailers.

Data released by the Immigration Department on Sunday showed 659,090 mainland visitors entered Hong Kong between New Year’s Eve and Saturday, accounting for 79 per cent of the total 836,544 tourist arrivals.

Mainland arrivals rose by 72 per cent from the same four-day period a year ago, when they only had a holiday on New Year’s Day. This year’s break was extended to three days and ended on Saturday.

Lam Chi-chung, the general secretary of the Hong Kong Department Store and Commercial Staff General Union, said that retail sales had remained steady with only a slight increase despite the influx of mainland visitors.

“Mainland tourists are on tight budgets and have changed their spending habits,” he said. “Frontline workers told us there were many window-shoppers but few big spenders.”