More than 30 million visitors to visit Hong Kong this year, Tourism Board says, but figure less than half record 2018 numbers
- Forecast based on the 26.78 million tourists recorded in first 10 months of the year in the wake of end of coronavirus travel restrictions
- WinterFest extravaganza to be bigger and better and other events planned to entice visitors as well as residents
More than 30 million people are expected to visit Hong Kong this year, less than half of the number logged in record-setting 2018, as the city throws parties designed to attract more tourists for the Christmas season in a sluggish economy.
The Tourism Board unveiled the forecast on Wednesday, based on 26.78 million tourists who came to the city in the first 10 months of the year after the government’s decision to ditch pandemic travel restrictions in January.
Hong Kong WinterFest will return on a bigger scale on both sides of Victoria Harbour on November 24 as part of the celebration for the first post-pandemic Christmas season, with a pyrotechnics element in Central for the first time.
Theme parks and shopping malls are also about to launch elaborate decorations and special offers to entice shoppers.
“With the series of activities to bring in tourists, the Tourism Board is confident that the total visitor arrivals for 2023 will exceed 30 million,” the board’s executive director Dane Cheng Ting-yat said.
There were 3.46 million tourists who visited Hong Kong in October, a big increase on the 80,524 in the same month last year.
The board said the recovery was driven by Southeast Asian markets, largely people from the Philippines and Thailand.
The predicted 30 million visitors for 2023 is less than half the 65 million recorded in 2018, the best year on record.
But the figure is higher than the board’s estimate of 25.8 million visitors at the start of the year.
Hong Kong needs more tourists and their spending as the industry is one of the four pillars of the city’s economy.
The government warned last week that gross domestic product would grow by 3.2 per cent this year compared with 2022, less than the 4 to 5 per cent increase estimated earlier.
WinterFest will run from November 24 to January 1.
There will be eight rounds of 10-minute pyrotechnics shows at 8pm on the Central Harbourfront over three consecutive weekends and the Christmas holidays from December 9.
A highlight of the fireworks shows will be the “HK” monogram.
A Christmas Town will feature at the West Kowloon Cultural District, which will include a 20 metre (66 foot) Christmas tree, the height of a six-storey building.
The arts hub will also hold a 10-day Christmas market on the Great Lawn at the Art Park, with food, drinks and live performances.
Other new attractions scheduled to open soon include the Frozen-themed park at Hong Kong Disneyland on Lantau Island and the Le Petit Prince feature at Ocean Park in Southern district.
