Law confident of HK hitting target of 53.8m visitors

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law expressed confidence that Hong Kong would meet its visitor arrival target of 53.8 million for the year. Speaking on a radio show, Law highlighted a packed calendar of major events, trade conventions, and international conferences that contribute to the increase. In the nine months since the start of the year, visitor arrivals had already reached 40.7 million, with a double-digit growth compared to the previous year.

Law attributed this positive trend to the surge in visitor numbers during the Golden Week in October. She noted that this period saw a significant influx of tourists, possibly due to the proximity of the Golden Week to the Mid-Autumn Festival, which featured a major lantern carnival at Victoria Park, attracting around 730,000 visitors. Law emphasized that the city would continue to organize unique, time-limited events to cater to various types of visitors, facilitated by improved transportation links and new checkpoints.

The rising fuel prices have posed a challenge, particularly for short-haul visitors from Southeast Asia. However, mainland arrivals and long-haul visitors from other regions remain robust. Law pointed out that the recently inaugurated Huanggang Port offers tourists an additional travel option. Officials are monitoring the usage of different crossings during major events, such as concerts, to inform future planning decisions.