Hong Kong welcomes 3.9 million visitors in July, 24% less than before Covid-19 pandemic
Hong Kong Free Press
Hong Kong welcomed over 3.9 million visitors in July, according to provisional figures, a 9 per cent increase compared to same month last year.
Mainland China continued to be the city’s largest source market, with 80 per cent of visitor arrivals from across the border, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced on Thursday.
The city’s tourism has been slow to recover since the government lifted all Covid-19 restrictions in early 2023. In the first seven months of 2024, Hong Kong saw a total of 25 million arrivals, a 52 per cent increase compared to the same period of 2023.
However, the industry has yet to reach pre-pandemic levels, with July seeing a 24 per cent decrease in visitors compared to July 2019, when the city was wracked with protests.
The city saw a total of 3.1 million travellers from mainland China in July, 75 per cent of the number of mainland Chinese visiting in July 2019.
Separately, over 781,000 visitors from foreign countries, Taiwan and Macau visited Hong Kong in July, 75 per cent of the number in July 2019.
Taiwan in late June upgraded the self-ruled island’s travel alert, urging its citizens to “avoid unnecessary travel” to Hong Kong, Macau and mainland China, citing personal safety risks following the enactment of multiple security laws and a recent update to China’s judicial guidelines that allows the death penalty for advocating Taiwan independence.
HKTB has not published updated figures of visitors based on their origin as of Friday.
Visitors satisfied with drone shows
The government has allocated more resources to “soft-sell” the city and to boost tourism in 2024. Financial Secretary Paul Chan announced a HK$1.1 billion push to promote mega events and boost tourism in Hong Kong, with HKTB hosting firework displays and drone shows every month against the backdrop of Victoria Harbour.
HKTB hosted a drone show featuring the Chau Bun Festival in May and another drone show showcasing the Dragon Boat Festival in June.
HKTB said in a statement on Thursday that more than 90 per cent of the tourists it surveyed agreed that the drone shows had enhanced their experience of visiting Hong Kong, and more than 95 per cent said they would recommend it to their friends and relatives.
The body did not reveal sample size of the survey.
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