Hong Kong’s border posts were abuzz on December 31 as 195,798 visitors streamed into the city—up 25 % from the same day in 2024—according to Immigration Department data cited by the South China Morning Post. Mainland Chinese accounted for 148,435 of the arrivals, a 24 % increase year-on-year, amid a broader rebound in cross-border leisure and shopping trips.
The surge occurred despite Hong Kong cancelling its waterfront fireworks show following a deadly warehouse fire in Tai Po, suggesting that retail therapy and theme-park outings remain key draws. Departures by Hong Kong residents also rose nearly 21 %, reflecting pent-up demand for short holidays in neighbouring Guangdong and Macao during the three-day mainland break.
Significance for mobility programmes: • Corporations housing regional teams in Hong Kong should anticipate heavier checkpoint queues at Lo Wu and West Kowloon on January 3 when visitors return. • Retail landlords along Canton Road can expect higher footfall, while hotels report average daily rates up 12 % over the weekend.
![Hong Kong Records 25 % Jump in Mainland Visitor Arrivals on New Year’s Eve]()
Policy backdrop: Hong Kong maintains visa-free entry for roughly 170 nationalities and recently streamlined e-gate enrolment for frequent mainland visitors. The government is also lobbying Beijing to further expand the Individual Visit Scheme to inland cities, which could amplify flows ahead of Lunar New Year in February.
For travelers who do require visas—for example, non-visa-exempt business visitors planning to continue from Hong Kong into mainland China—VisaHQ’s online platform can arrange Chinese entry permits, supply tailored document checklists, and secure expedited processing when deadlines loom. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/china/.
Transport operators MTR Corp and the Airport Authority have deployed extra staff and late-night trains. Travellers should still allow additional time for customs clearance, particularly at the Shenzhen Bay land port, which handled 90,000 crossings on Saturday alone.
For global mobility managers, the data point to a normalising border environment and a need to pre-book accommodation and transport for assignees relocating to or transiting through the SAR during peak holiday periods.
The surge occurred despite Hong Kong cancelling its waterfront fireworks show following a deadly warehouse fire in Tai Po, suggesting that retail therapy and theme-park outings remain key draws. Departures by Hong Kong residents also rose nearly 21 %, reflecting pent-up demand for short holidays in neighbouring Guangdong and Macao during the three-day mainland break.
Significance for mobility programmes: • Corporations housing regional teams in Hong Kong should anticipate heavier checkpoint queues at Lo Wu and West Kowloon on January 3 when visitors return. • Retail landlords along Canton Road can expect higher footfall, while hotels report average daily rates up 12 % over the weekend.
Policy backdrop: Hong Kong maintains visa-free entry for roughly 170 nationalities and recently streamlined e-gate enrolment for frequent mainland visitors. The government is also lobbying Beijing to further expand the Individual Visit Scheme to inland cities, which could amplify flows ahead of Lunar New Year in February.
For travelers who do require visas—for example, non-visa-exempt business visitors planning to continue from Hong Kong into mainland China—VisaHQ’s online platform can arrange Chinese entry permits, supply tailored document checklists, and secure expedited processing when deadlines loom. More information is available at https://www.visahq.com/china/.
Transport operators MTR Corp and the Airport Authority have deployed extra staff and late-night trains. Travellers should still allow additional time for customs clearance, particularly at the Shenzhen Bay land port, which handled 90,000 crossings on Saturday alone.
For global mobility managers, the data point to a normalising border environment and a need to pre-book accommodation and transport for assignees relocating to or transiting through the SAR during peak holiday periods.
