Opinion | How Hong Kong can ride the ‘China travel’ wave to boost tourism

Recent figures from the Hong Kong Tourism Board suggest a robust recovery of our city’s tourism sector, with a surge in both the number and diversity of visitors. Last year brought the city close to 45 million visitors, representing a 31 per cent increase over 2023.

Mainland China remains the dominant market, while non-mainland visitors reached 10.5 million, an increase of 44 per cent from the previous year. Long-haul arrivals rose by over 50 per cent, while among short-haul visitors, those from the Philippines hit a record of 1.2 million.

According to Euromonitor, Hong Kong was the fourth-most popular destination for international arrivals, with its 20.5 million trips marking a 19 per cent increase from 2023. While these statistics reflect a promising trajectory, sustaining and maximising Hong Kong’s tourism recovery will be challenging.

Meanwhile, the mainland is enjoying a resurgence in international tourism at the same time as Hong Kong. Since late 2023, the central government has increased the number of countries whose citizens can travel to China visa-free to 38. Last year, foreigners made almost 65 million inbound and outbound trips to and from China, a nearly 83 per cent year-on-year increase. Of these, around 20 million were visa-free trips, more than double the 2023 figure.

It might be worthwhile to take a leaf out of Shanghai’s book; the city has seen a surge in South Korean arrivals. The sheer volume of Korean visitors has created an almost “mini-Seoul” atmosphere, with some visitors demonstrating enthusiastic spending habits. This trend signals a potentially lucrative opportunity for Hong Kong.

The city’s vibrant culinary scene – which is visible in the 79 Hong Kong restaurants listed in the 2024 Michelin Guide, including seven three-star establishments – reinforces its reputation as a food capital. The Hong Kong government’s plan to launch an 18-district gourmet guide and host major food festivals is a worthwhile step towards attracting global food lovers.