Hong Kong’s borders roared back to near-pre-pandemic form during the Mainland’s nine-day Chinese New Year Golden Week (15-23 February), with the Immigration Department logging 1.77 million arrivals. About 1.5 million came from the Chinese Mainland while 267,000 were overseas visitors, averaging almost 197,000 entries a day.(chinadailyhk.com)
The sharp rebound—14 per cent higher than the same festive period last year—was fuelled by three forces: pent-up mainland leisure demand, a stronger renminbi, and aggressive marketing by Hong Kong’s tourism board. Control-point data show the Express Rail Link West Kowloon handled the most passengers, underscoring the growing importance of high-speed rail for Guangdong-Hong Kong integration.(news.gov.hk)
To keep queues moving, the Immigration Department cancelled most frontline leave, opened extra e-Channels and deployed crowd-control marshals at Lok Ma Chau and Shenzhen Bay. The Hong Kong Tourism Board coordinated with retailers to extend opening hours, while hotel occupancy reached 90 per cent; average room rates climbed 18 per cent year-on-year according to industry estimates.(info.gov.hk)
![Hong Kong welcomes 1.77 million visitors over Lunar New Year Golden Week]()
Whether you’re a mainland resident planning a festive shopping spree or an overseas executive en route to a convention, getting the correct travel documentation is crucial. VisaHQ simplifies this step by letting travellers review up-to-date Hong Kong visa requirements, complete applications online and track approvals in real time. You can explore their dedicated Hong Kong page here: https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/
For corporates, the surge is an encouraging sign that business-travel sentiment is thawing. Convention organisers report stronger delegate registrations for Q2 events, and airlines have signalled capacity additions on short-haul routes. Yet the influx also resurfaced pain points—land crossings were congested at peak hours and urban transport struggled to absorb excursion traffic, prompting renewed calls for staggered holiday visas and further e-Channel expansion.
Looking ahead, officials say the coming “contactless clearance” pilot at the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge port will relieve pressure in time for Easter. Retail landlords meanwhile expect March sales to remain elevated as mainland shoppers return to redeem duty-free quotas before the end of the first quarter.
The sharp rebound—14 per cent higher than the same festive period last year—was fuelled by three forces: pent-up mainland leisure demand, a stronger renminbi, and aggressive marketing by Hong Kong’s tourism board. Control-point data show the Express Rail Link West Kowloon handled the most passengers, underscoring the growing importance of high-speed rail for Guangdong-Hong Kong integration.(news.gov.hk)
To keep queues moving, the Immigration Department cancelled most frontline leave, opened extra e-Channels and deployed crowd-control marshals at Lok Ma Chau and Shenzhen Bay. The Hong Kong Tourism Board coordinated with retailers to extend opening hours, while hotel occupancy reached 90 per cent; average room rates climbed 18 per cent year-on-year according to industry estimates.(info.gov.hk)
Whether you’re a mainland resident planning a festive shopping spree or an overseas executive en route to a convention, getting the correct travel documentation is crucial. VisaHQ simplifies this step by letting travellers review up-to-date Hong Kong visa requirements, complete applications online and track approvals in real time. You can explore their dedicated Hong Kong page here: https://www.visahq.com/hong-kong/
For corporates, the surge is an encouraging sign that business-travel sentiment is thawing. Convention organisers report stronger delegate registrations for Q2 events, and airlines have signalled capacity additions on short-haul routes. Yet the influx also resurfaced pain points—land crossings were congested at peak hours and urban transport struggled to absorb excursion traffic, prompting renewed calls for staggered holiday visas and further e-Channel expansion.
Looking ahead, officials say the coming “contactless clearance” pilot at the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macao Bridge port will relieve pressure in time for Easter. Retail landlords meanwhile expect March sales to remain elevated as mainland shoppers return to redeem duty-free quotas before the end of the first quarter.
