Hong Kong kicked off 2026 with 7.23 million visitor arrivals through 13 February, a jump of 9.6 per cent over the same period last year, Financial Secretary Paul Chan revealed in his weekly blog. Overseas visitors grew even faster—up 16.4 per cent—thanks to aggressive event marketing and additional long-haul flights. (scmp.com)
Before locking in flights and hotel blocks, travellers should double-check entry requirements. VisaHQ’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers real-time visa information and application support for more than 200 nationalities, helping both corporate mobility teams and individual tourists secure the right documents quickly—especially valuable during peak periods like Lunar New Year.
![Visitor arrivals up 9.6 % YTD; Financial Secretary forecasts 1.43 million mainland tourists during holiday]()
Chan expects the momentum to continue, projecting 1.43 million mainland arrivals over the Lunar New Year holiday alone. The Travel Industry Council says hotel occupancy for the peak nights has already reached 90 per cent, led by group tours from Guangdong, Shanghai and Chongqing.
From a mobility perspective the numbers suggest growing competition for short-stay accommodation and meeting space. Corporates should revisit per-diem budgets: four-star room rates have risen 12-15 per cent since Q3 2025 and are likely to spike further when Art Basel and Rugby Sevens return in March and April.
Chan also hinted at fresh subsidies for MICE organisers, signalling that large regional conferences postponed during the pandemic could finally return. Mobility managers should monitor policy announcements in the forthcoming 2026-27 Budget for possible travel-rebate schemes similar to last year’s “Hello Hong Kong” ticket giveaway.
Before locking in flights and hotel blocks, travellers should double-check entry requirements. VisaHQ’s Hong Kong portal (https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/) offers real-time visa information and application support for more than 200 nationalities, helping both corporate mobility teams and individual tourists secure the right documents quickly—especially valuable during peak periods like Lunar New Year.
Chan expects the momentum to continue, projecting 1.43 million mainland arrivals over the Lunar New Year holiday alone. The Travel Industry Council says hotel occupancy for the peak nights has already reached 90 per cent, led by group tours from Guangdong, Shanghai and Chongqing.
From a mobility perspective the numbers suggest growing competition for short-stay accommodation and meeting space. Corporates should revisit per-diem budgets: four-star room rates have risen 12-15 per cent since Q3 2025 and are likely to spike further when Art Basel and Rugby Sevens return in March and April.
Chan also hinted at fresh subsidies for MICE organisers, signalling that large regional conferences postponed during the pandemic could finally return. Mobility managers should monitor policy announcements in the forthcoming 2026-27 Budget for possible travel-rebate schemes similar to last year’s “Hello Hong Kong” ticket giveaway.
