Hong Kong Spring Festival Holiday Attracts Over One Million Visitors
During the Year of the Horse Spring Festival period, numerous mainland tourists visited Hong Kong to celebrate the new year. According to data from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Immigration Department, from the 15th (the 28th day of the lunar year) to the 20th (the fourth day of the lunar new year), the total number of visitors entering Hong Kong exceeded 1.16 million, of which mainland tourists accounted for over 980,000, comprising approximately 84%.
This year's mainland Spring Festival holiday lasted 9 days, and Hong Kong's various ports welcomed a large number of mainland tourists. According to Immigration Department data, the number of mainland visitors to Hong Kong from the 15th to the 20th were respectively 142,400, 84,300, 121,900, 212,200, 210,700, and 209,000.
Financial Secretary Chen Maobo previously published a blog post stating that during the Spring Festival holiday period, it is expected that the number of mainland tourists visiting Hong Kong will reach 1.43 million, with daily visitor numbers increasing by approximately 6% year-on-year.
Lunar new year flower markets, flower parades, fireworks displays, new year horse racing... Hong Kong's Year of the Horse Spring Festival celebrations unfolded in succession, offering mainland and overseas visitors a unique Spring Festival experience.
On the second day of the lunar new year, Hong Kong's Spring Festival fireworks display was held over Victoria Harbour. At popular fireworks viewing spots such as Harbour City in Tsim Sha Tsui and the Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai on Hong Kong Island, many mainland tourists arrived early to capture the city's brilliant festive atmosphere. Mr. Liang from Beijing said that his entire family specifically came to Hong Kong to watch the Spring Festival fireworks, and the sound of fireworks intertwined with cheers, combined with the sea view, possessed a unique charm.
The long holiday provided many mainland tourists visiting Hong Kong with opportunities to explore the city in depth, with island tours and university campus tours becoming new choices for many mainland families visiting Hong Kong. A family of tourists from Heilongjiang, Mr. Wang, visited the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology campus on the 21st. He said that in addition to watching flower parades and fireworks, they have already visited three universities on this trip, mainly to let his high school sophomore child experience the environment of Hong Kong's universities.
Ms. Chen from Guangzhou and her boyfriend traveled to Hong Kong on the 19th via the Guangshen-Hong Kong High-speed Railway West Kowloon Station checkpoint. She said that high-speed rail and other transportation options from mainland to Hong Kong are becoming increasingly convenient, with the train carriage filled with passengers that day, and a journey of less than 1 hour allows for same-day round trips, but this time they chose to stay overnight on Lamma Island to experience Hong Kong's Spring Festival atmosphere.
The increase in tourists significantly boosted consumer spending in Hong Kong's major commercial districts. Ms. Li, who works in sales at a jewelry store in Chung Kwan gold shop in Causeway Bay, introduced that starting from mid-February, mainland tourists purchasing gold jewelry increased noticeably, particularly from the 15th onwards, mainland tourists' purchases accounted for over 80% of total sales, with styles mainly combining good wishes and auspicious meanings for the Year of the Horse.
