440,000 mainland arrivals over Mid-Autumn weekend, hotels brace for National Day

Over the Mid-Autumn Festival weekend, roughly 440,000 mainland Chinese tourists visited Hong Kong, according to the Tourism Industry Council. The Hong Kong Tourism Board anticipates hotel occupancy rates exceeding 90 percent in popular areas during the upcoming National Day "golden week" period, which begins on Thursday and lasts for a week.

The Tourism Department reported that mainland visitors accounted for about a quarter of the 1.73 million arrivals during the three-day holiday period. Hong Kong authorities expect around 1.29 million mainland visitors to arrive during the National Day holiday, representing a 5 percent increase in the daily average compared to the previous year.

This 13-day break can be attributed to mainland residents taking additional days off from Monday to Wednesday. Tommy Tam, chairman of the Travel Industry Council, stated that the industry's forecast aligns with the government's expectations. Favorable exchange rates and festive events are expected to attract more visitors, leading to a significant increase in hotel rates, with some hotels in Causeway Bay charging nearly double the prices during the National Day holiday compared to the days before.

Staggered travel and multi-destination itineraries are becoming popular among visitors, who are arriving early or staying for additional days before heading to Macau or other cities in the Greater Bay Area. However, some mainland visitors have reportedly failed to show up for popular destinations such as the Po Pin Chau section of the High Island Geo Trail, with a deposit or admission fee suggested to reduce no-shows.