During the first 7 days of this year's National Day "Golden Week" on the mainland, approximately 1.295 million mainland visitor trips were recorded in Hong Kong, representing a 6.4% increase compared to the 1.217 million mainland visitors during the 7-day Golden Week holiday last year. This surge has boosted the markets of Hong Kong's tourism, catering, and hotel industries.
Although Oct. 8 marked the last day of the mainland's "Golden Week" holiday, with many tourists returning to the mainland through various immigration ports, due to staggered travel, as of 9 PM last night, there were still over 99,000 mainland visitor arrivals. Combined with the first 7 days of the holiday, the cumulative number of mainland visitor entries has exceeded 1.39 million trips.
In a radio interview, Fanny Yeung, Executive Director of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong, stated that the proportion of overnight tourists this year reached 60%. The Mid-Autumn Festival decorations in restaurants and shopping malls effectively stimulated consumption and added to the festive atmosphere. The number of tourists from other regions also increased by about 25%, reflecting a more balanced distribution of visitor sources.
Partner with three brands
She also noted that more tourists are opting for staggered travel, so their visits to Hong Kong are not limited to the 8-day holiday. "Some came earlier, and some will stay until the weekend. Overall, we are not just looking at the 8 days but the entire 'Golden Week' effect on our visitor numbers, and we are satisfied with the results."
Regarding the SAR government's promotion of industrial tourism, she mentioned that the first phase will involve cooperation with three brands: Lee Kum Kee, Kee Wah Bakery, and Yakult. Arrangements have been made for industry inspections next month, and discussions are underway with other brands to develop industrial tourism, including Wai Yuen Tong, Pat Chun, and Nissin Foods.
Summarize results, propose suggestions
Legislative Council (LegCo) member Perry Yiu summarized this year's "Golden Week" performance and put forward suggestions to further enhance Hong Kong's tourism appeal. He noted that over a million mainland visitor trips to Hong Kong have boosted multiple industries, including tourism, retail, and catering. Moreover, Hong Kong hosted various major events during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival, energizing the market. The hotel industry saw growth in booking rates, occupancy rates, and revenue, with revenue increasing by over 10% compared to the same period last year, and the proportion of overnight tourists rising to about 60%.
Regarding how to further enhance appeal, he believes that though Hong Kong hosts many major events, some tourists reported being unaware of the drone performances, so he suggested the government strengthen promotion of such activities. Additionally, as many tourists enjoy taking double-decker sightseeing buses to admire the cityscape during their visits, he recommended that the industry further collaborate with hotels and travel agencies to use double-decker buses to connect attractions and consumption venues, thereby boosting more regional economies.
Guided tours on Sharp Island?
With Hong Kong co-hosting the National Games next month, Yiu believes the industry should seize the opportunity to offer special discounts and tourism products, enriching the itinerary experiences of spectators visiting Hong Kong and attracting them to return in the future. This could also drive more visitors through word-of-mouth. Concerning issues raised by some tourists visiting Sharp Island, he suggested the SAR government deploy professional guides during festive periods to manage crowds and provide environmental education, teaching tourists to cherish the natural ecology.
Dining experience with Hong Kong characteristics
In the catering industry, Winston Yeung, Chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants & Related Trades, told Wen Wei Po that thanks to discounts offered by the industry and many Hong Kong residents choosing to spend locally, overall business volume from the first day of National Day to the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival increased by 10-20% compared to the same period last year. However, mainland tourists' consumption patterns have changed, with a tendency to patronize specialty small eateries and cha chaan tengs (tea restaurants), while growth in customer flow to traditional restaurants has been relatively limited. Therefore, he recommended that the industry further enhance the dining experience by incorporating Hong Kong characteristics.
"Some mainland restaurants meticulously design every step from entry to dining; Hong Kong needs to strengthen this aspect."
He also pointed out that major events like large-scale concerts and football matches effectively boost catering performance and expressed hope that the government will continue to host more such events in the future.
Timothy Chui, Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association (HKTA), suggested that the SAR government should strengthen promotion in second-tier mainland cities like Xi'an and Qingdao to attract more tourists to Hong Kong. He also recommended launching "new experience" tourism products to give tourists a sense of novelty.
WeChat: "All visitors are welcome"
The 2025 "Golden Week" combined the National Day and Mid-Autumn statutory holidays, resulting in an 8-day break. The "2025 National Day Mid-Autumn Data Report" released by the WeChat team on October 8 showed that the long holiday spurred cross-boundary travel enthusiasm, with "Chinese tech" like Mini Programs and WeChat Pay accompanying tourists deep into destinations worldwide. Among cross-boundary payment data, Hong Kong and Macao ranked first in WeChat Pay transaction volume. The number of ride-hailing orders booked by mainland tourists in Hong Kong via online platforms increased over fivefold year-on-year.
WeChat HKD wallet data showed that the number of transactions for Hong Kong residents spending in the mainland increased by over 120% year-on-year. Additionally, WeChat Pay transactions in New Zealand grew 131% year-on-year, and Italy saw a year-on-year doubling. Transaction volume in the transportation sector via overseas Mini Programs increased by over 2.5 times year-on-year.
WeChat Pay data indicated that cross-boundary payment transactions in the first 5 days of the holiday increased 21% year-on-year. Influenced by visa-free policies for Chinese citizens in South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, WeChat Pay transactions in South Korea grew 46%, and Singapore saw a 32% increase. In Malaysia, transaction volume completed through Malaysia's payment network PayNet surged significantly, with both transaction count and amount growing over threefold year-on-year. In Japan, WeChat Pay increased over 25% year-on-year, benefiting from its integration with local mainstream e-wallets like PayPay, auPAY, and merpay/d-barai, making travel for Chinese tourists smoother.
(Source: Wen Wei Po; Journalist: Hong Zekai, Mao Lijuan; English Editor: Darius)
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