Hongkongers make 1.4 million outbound trips over Lunar New Year break
Local tourism sector reports modest gains this year despite nearly 13 per cent drop in mainland Chinese arrivals from pre-pandemic levels
Immigration Department data released on Friday showed that from Lunar New Year’s Eve to the third day of the holiday, residents made 1.44 million trips out of the city – 20.4 per cent more than the 1.2 million recorded in the same period in 2019.
By contrast, mainland Chinese visitors made 629,340 trips to Hong Kong over the same four days, a 12.8 per cent drop from the 721,955 recorded before the pandemic in 2019.
The number of inbound journeys by non-mainland visitors also fell by about 4.4 per cent over the same period.
Industry representatives said business over the holiday period had improved compared with last year, but had yet to return to pre-pandemic levels, although performance varied across sectors.
Jack Cheung Ki-tang, a director of CTS HK Metropark Hotels Management, said room rates at his hotel had risen slightly during the festive period.