Hong Kong's May Day holiday sees peak visitor flow: expected 980000 mainland tourists to visit Hong Kong, tourism market fully recovers

1、 Passenger flow increases: 7% growth demonstrates resilience in recovery

The steady increase in the number of mainland tourists visiting Hong Kong during the May Day holiday is a direct reflection of the sustained recovery of Hong Kong's tourism industry. Since the beginning of this year, the popularity of Hong Kong tourists visiting Hong Kong has remained high. In the first quarter, the number of mainland tourists visiting Hong Kong has exceeded 11 million, an increase of 20% year-on-year, laying a solid foundation for the growth of holiday passenger flow. The expected number of visitors of 980000 and a year-on-year increase of 7% not only reflect the continuous favor of mainland tourists towards Hong Kong's cultural and tourism resources, but also reflect the positive effects brought by the facilitation of customs clearance and optimization of the tourism environment between the two places.

The entry scale of 770 mainland tour groups further drives the two-way development of group tours and individual travel. From the perspective of travel demand, food shopping, urban sightseeing, and cultural experiences are still mainstream. Classic attractions such as Disneyland, Victoria Harbour, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Causeway Bay are still popular, while emerging activities such as hiking in the countryside, cultural and creative check-in, and local markets are gradually becoming popular to meet the diverse needs of different tourists.

2、 Full guarantee: port+transportation dual approach to cope with peak passenger flow

To cope with the huge passenger flow, the Hong Kong SAR government and relevant departments have deployed in advance and launched a comprehensive guarantee mechanism. In terms of ports, all sea, land, and air traffic control stations have comprehensively upgraded their services, reduced the vacation time of front-line personnel, flexibly allocated manpower, opened inspection counters, temporary counters, and dedicated channels to improve customs clearance efficiency. From May 1st to 5th, the cross departmental joint command center was officially launched, with police, immigration, customs and other departments monitoring the flow of people at ports in real time, and coordinating with mainland ports to ensure orderly customs clearance.

Public transportation is being upgraded simultaneously, with MTR taking the lead in encrypting services. From April 30th to May 5th, cross-border routes such as the East Rail Line will be strengthened to shorten waiting times. The Hong Kong Zhuhai Macao Bridge and the shuttle bus from Lok Ma Chau to Huanggang Port will be increased to approximately 1 minute and 2 minutes respectively during peak hours. The Transport Department will increase the quota for cross-border direct buses, activate dedicated public transportation channels, and connect the "last mile" of passenger travel. Comprehensive transportation support makes travel more convenient and smooth for passengers.

3、 Market hot: Hotel occupancy rate exceeds 90%, consumer vitality bursts forth

The increase in passenger flow directly drives the comprehensive recovery of industries such as hotels, catering, and retail. The Hong Kong tourism department predicts that the average occupancy rate of hotels in Hong Kong during the May Day holiday will exceed 90%, and the booking rate of hotels in core business districts and scenic areas will be close to full. Many hotels have launched themed suites, special packages, city walking guides, and other services to enhance the guest experience.

The catering and retail industries are also poised for growth, with businesses in commercial districts such as Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay stocking up and optimizing services in advance. It is expected that holiday sales will significantly increase. From jewelry and beauty to specialty cuisine, from trendy clothing to cultural and creative products, a wide range of consumer choices will fully unleash the consumption potential of tourists and promote the deepening of Hong Kong's tourism economy from "passenger flow growth" to "consumption growth".