Mainland tourists arrived in large numbers at Hong Kong West Kowloon Station on Thursday morning as the National Day Golden Week kicked off, with many traveling specifically to watch the Victoria Harbour fireworks display.
A tourist from Huizhou taking a three-day trip with his parents said he planned to secure a spot at Golden Bauhinia Square hours in advance. He added that hotel rates rose to around HK$1,800 per night during the holiday, but he still planned to visit Kennedy Town and the University of Hong Kong.
Meanwhile, local residents took advantage of the holiday to travel north. Some seniors joined friends for three-day trips to Guangzhou and Zhongshan, while families chose high-speed rail over land checkpoints to attend gatherings in Kaiping and visit hot springs in Enping.
Timothy Chui Ting-pong, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association, expects 100 to 200 mainland tour groups today, with numbers rising over the next two days. He noted that hotel occupancy reached over 90 percent in some areas, with room rates increasing by 10 to 20 percent. Chui added that recent promotional efforts, including the International Lantern Spectacular in Victoria Park, helped re-establish Hong Kong as an attractive destination.
Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, projected total festival revenue to exceed HK$3 billion, averaging HK$250 million daily. He anticipates a 10 percent increase in overall dining sales compared to last year.
