In a stunning turnaround, Hong Kong has witnessed a remarkable 36.1 percent surge in visitors during this year’s National Day holiday, which ran from October 1 to October 6. This influx has generated optimism among businesses and government officials alike, who are eager to see year-round tourism and consumer spending soar back to pre-pandemic levels.

During this peak travel period, more than 1.25 million tourists flocked to the city, with over 1.11 million hailing from the Chinese mainland — a 37 percent increase compared to last year's Golden Week. October 1 alone set a new record, as almost 244,000 visitors, including about 221,000 from the mainland, descended on the city in one day.

The final day of the holiday, October 6, was equally impressive, with inbound visitors reaching 88,206 by 4 PM, surpassing the total for the same day last year. Benson Kwok Joon-fung, the director of immigration for the Hong Kong SAR, praised the smooth operations at border checkpoints during the holiday, attributing the efficiency to advanced technology, including 19 newly opened electronic immigration channels at West Kowloon station.

Looking ahead, Kwok predicts another surge of visitors before Christmas, with total entry and exit visits expected to exceed 300 million by year-end, marking a complete recovery from the COVID ordeal. Government-organized events, coupled with food and shopping promotions, have played a crucial role in bolstering tourism.

Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, expressed satisfaction with the catering industry’s performance. The industry raked in about HK$300 million (approximately $38.6 million) in sales on National Day itself, with total dining expenditures expected to hit around HK$2 billion during Golden Week — a 5 percent rise from last year.

Interestingly, there’s been a notable increase in short-haul travelers and visitors from previously less-frequented spots like Qingdao in Shandong province and Xi'an in Shaanxi province, many of whom opted for overnight stays, further stimulating consumer spending. Also contributing to this positive mindset is the recent upswing in the stock market, which has encouraged more discretionary spending among local residents.

Looking to the future, Wong anticipates a bustling Christmas holiday season, urging for more promotional activities to attract guests. He proposed tapping into the excitement surrounding the new panda family members at Ocean Park — two newcomers and two adorable cubs — to help stimulate the economy.

In comparison, neighboring Macao also enjoyed success, logging over 910,000 visitors during the first six days of Golden Week, surpassing its numbers from 2019.

It’s clear that Hong Kong's tourism and retail sectors are on the rise, with bright prospects ahead, paving the way for renewed growth and robust economic recovery as the holiday season approaches!