Visitor arrivals jump 18pc in first two months of 2026

Hong Kong welcomed 9.95 million visitors in the first two months of the year, an 18 percent increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). 

The growth was significantly bolstered by a 22 percent year-on-year rise in visitors from the mainland, which totaled 7.9 million. 

HKTB attributed the strong performance to the mainland's Chinese New Year holiday period and a calendar of major local events.

Non-mainland markets also saw an uptick, with 2.06 million arrivals, representing an 8 percent year-on-year increase, the HKTB said. 

Long-haul markets were also a standout, with visitor numbers from Australia, France, and Germany showing impressive growth of approximately 20 to 30 percent.

However, the HKTB noted that the performance of short-haul markets experienced monthly fluctuations, which were influenced by the shifting dates of the Lunar New Year and the holy month of Ramadan in the Islamic lunar calendar.