Hong Kong’s tourism czar Rosanna Law Shuk-pui struck an upbeat tone in a televised interview on 1 February, projecting that total visitor arrivals could surpass 50 million in calendar-year 2026—about 86 % of the city’s pre-pandemic peak. The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism said advance hotel bookings and package-tour sales for the mainland’s eight-day Lunar New Year ‘golden-week’ holiday (15-23 February) were running “noticeably ahead” of 2025 levels.
Several factors underpin the optimism. First, the longer-than-usual gap between Christmas and Lunar New Year has freed up annual-leave windows for mainland Chinese travellers, traditionally Hong Kong’s largest source market. Second, the government’s year-round ‘mega-events’ calendar—headlined by the International Chinese New Year Night Parade, a harbour-front drone-and-fireworks show and an expanded Art March festival—has been heavily marketed on Douyin and Xiaohongshu. Finally, new cross-boundary initiatives such as the “Guangdong cars southbound” private-vehicle scheme and additional high-speed-rail frequencies from Guangzhou and Shenzhen are expected to smooth visitor flows.
Travellers keen to capitalise on these opportunities can simplify entry logistics through VisaHQ. The service’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) aggregates real-time visa requirements, offers step-by-step online applications and supports bulk processing for tour operators, ensuring that both individual visitors and corporate groups have their paperwork sorted long before they reach the SAR.
![Tourism minister bets on 50 million visitors as Hong Kong gears up for Lunar New Year rush]()
From a global-mobility perspective, exceeding the 50-million mark would reaffirm Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s premier short-haul hub and bolster confidence among airlines and multinational corporates weighing regional headquarters or MICE events in the SAR. Airport Authority data already show flight movements recovering to 86 % of 2019 levels, and Cathay Pacific plans to return to 100 % capacity by July. Hoteliers and serviced-apartment operators have responded by re-activating mothballed inventory and fast-tracking renovations to compete for bleisure travellers and expatriate rotations.
Businesses should, however, prepare for acute peak-season crowding at land boundary control points. The Immigration Department is expected to release detailed passenger-flow forecasts next week; companies running cross-border shuttle services for executives are advised to lock in slots on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the high-speed rail earlier than usual. Law added that upgrades to e-Channel clearance—including facial-recognition lanes for visitors aged seven and up—will be fully operational before the holiday to shave processing times.
Analysts at brokerage CLSA caution that geopolitical headwinds and currency weakness in key feeder markets could still temper full-year growth, but agree that a robust first-quarter performance would help Hong Kong re-establish itself as a ‘must-stop’ in Asia itineraries. Retail groups meanwhile hope the visitor influx will lift flagging high-street sales after a lukewarm Christmas.
Several factors underpin the optimism. First, the longer-than-usual gap between Christmas and Lunar New Year has freed up annual-leave windows for mainland Chinese travellers, traditionally Hong Kong’s largest source market. Second, the government’s year-round ‘mega-events’ calendar—headlined by the International Chinese New Year Night Parade, a harbour-front drone-and-fireworks show and an expanded Art March festival—has been heavily marketed on Douyin and Xiaohongshu. Finally, new cross-boundary initiatives such as the “Guangdong cars southbound” private-vehicle scheme and additional high-speed-rail frequencies from Guangzhou and Shenzhen are expected to smooth visitor flows.
Travellers keen to capitalise on these opportunities can simplify entry logistics through VisaHQ. The service’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) aggregates real-time visa requirements, offers step-by-step online applications and supports bulk processing for tour operators, ensuring that both individual visitors and corporate groups have their paperwork sorted long before they reach the SAR.
From a global-mobility perspective, exceeding the 50-million mark would reaffirm Hong Kong’s status as Asia’s premier short-haul hub and bolster confidence among airlines and multinational corporates weighing regional headquarters or MICE events in the SAR. Airport Authority data already show flight movements recovering to 86 % of 2019 levels, and Cathay Pacific plans to return to 100 % capacity by July. Hoteliers and serviced-apartment operators have responded by re-activating mothballed inventory and fast-tracking renovations to compete for bleisure travellers and expatriate rotations.
Businesses should, however, prepare for acute peak-season crowding at land boundary control points. The Immigration Department is expected to release detailed passenger-flow forecasts next week; companies running cross-border shuttle services for executives are advised to lock in slots on the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge and the high-speed rail earlier than usual. Law added that upgrades to e-Channel clearance—including facial-recognition lanes for visitors aged seven and up—will be fully operational before the holiday to shave processing times.
Analysts at brokerage CLSA caution that geopolitical headwinds and currency weakness in key feeder markets could still temper full-year growth, but agree that a robust first-quarter performance would help Hong Kong re-establish itself as a ‘must-stop’ in Asia itineraries. Retail groups meanwhile hope the visitor influx will lift flagging high-street sales after a lukewarm Christmas.
