HK welcomes over a million Golden Week visitors as lawmakers urge strategic industry upgrades

Following the conclusion of the Labour Day Golden Week, which brought approximately 1.01 million mainland Chinese visitors to Hong Kong, local lawmakers are celebrating the revitalized market while urging the tourism and commercial sectors to adapt to shifting consumer habits and explore emerging global markets.

Speaking on a radio program on Saturday, Election Committee constituency lawmaker Perry Yiu Pak-leung noted that the holiday period successfully generated both strong foot traffic and positive economic returns.

With overall hotel occupancy reaching ninety percent, the influx provided a significant boost to the local retail, catering, and accommodation industries.

Yiu observed that modern tourists are increasingly younger and family-oriented, showing a strong preference for in-depth, authentic cultural experiences over traditional sightseeing.

Addressing concerns about potential price gouging by hotels during peak seasons, Yiu explained that tourists are currently highly sensitive to costs.

Combined with convenient cross-border transport alternatives, this dynamic naturally kept accommodation fees moderate. He also highlighted that tour groups now make up only three percent of incoming visitors, totaling just over 32,000 individuals.

Yiu expressed absolute confidence in the industry's capacity to provide high-quality services, noting that malpractices such as forced shopping have been effectively eradicated under updated regulations and the oversight of the Travel Industry Authority.

To maximize economic benefits, lawmakers stressed the need to disperse tourist traffic, which remains heavily concentrated around both sides of Victoria Harbour.

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong lawmaker Vincent Cheng Wing-shun pointed out that while high-end establishments and traditional local diners performed well during the holiday, mid-priced restaurants struggled to benefit fully due to high operational costs.

To assist these businesses and encourage longer stays, Cheng proposed creating packaged promotional campaigns tied to upcoming international sporting events this summer.

He suggested implementing a ticket-stub economy, where event tickets offer perks across different sectors, to incentivize visitors to explore and spend in various districts.

Cheng emphasized that district-level promotions are vastly more effective when coordinated by government departments or the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

He also advocated for the relaxation of certain regulations, such as allowing pets in eateries and expanding outdoor dining areas, to stimulate overall consumption.

Commercial sector lawmaker Jonathan Stuart Lamport echoed the positive sentiment, noting that the return of bustling crowds has injected much-needed vitality into the city.

He cautioned the industry against engaging in damaging price wars, advocating instead for providing top-tier service at competitive rates.

Lamport highlighted Hong Kong's abundance of luxury hotel brands and Michelin-starred restaurants, noting that premium dining reservations are often easier to secure and more reasonably priced compared to peak seasons in other major global cities like London.

Beyond immediate tourism strategies, Lamport addressed the ongoing struggles of local small and medium enterprises facing rising material costs and geopolitical uncertainties.

He praised the government's recent efforts to court emerging markets in the Middle East and Central Asia, specifically pointing to rapid economic growth and large business delegations coming from Uzbekistan.

Lamport encouraged local businesses to leverage Hong Kong's robust legal and tax frameworks to serve as a gateway for foreign investment into the Greater Bay Area, thereby expanding their international footprint and diversifying their economic risks.

 

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