Hong Kong tour groups to mainland China surge by 40 % for Labour Day weekend
Hong Kong clarifies new public e-cigarette possession ban will not deter tourists
Editorial: Hong Kong pivots from headcount to high-value visitors ahead of Labour Day influx
Latest News
HKTDC trade fairs draw 95,000 global buyers, reinforcing Hong Kong’s status as a mobility hub
Seven HKTDC lifestyle and licensing fairs attracted 95,000 international buyers this week, pumping millions into Hong Kong’s economy and proving the city’s MICE ecosystem is back at scale. Smooth immigration processing and robust hotel occupancy send a positive signal to companies planning regional events.
Pre-Golden Week crackdown nets 22 arrests for illegal work and unlicensed tour guiding
Ahead of Labour Day, Hong Kong authorities arrested 22 people in a week-long operation against illegal workers and unlicensed tour guides. The crackdown aims to protect lawful operators and tourists during the expected holiday surge and serves as a compliance warning to employers and event organisers.
Hong Kong clarifies extension-of-stay filing window for Employment and IANG visa holders
Hong Kong has extended the renewal filing window for its General Employment Policy and IANG visas to three months before expiry and reiterated that holders must leave the city if their stay limit lapses before approval. The change gives employers more time to prepare but heightens the need for proactive compliance tracking.
Hong Kong expects 980,000 mainland visitors as tourists swap ‘check-box’ itineraries for niche citywalks
Nearly one million mainland tourists are slated to visit Hong Kong during the 1–5 May holiday, but many are ditching traditional sightseeing clichés for curated ‘citywalk’ routes and pop-up cultural events. The trend promises higher per-capita spending yet demands new crowd-flow and language capabilities from service providers.
Sri Lanka rolls out 30-day visa-on-arrival for Hong Kong SAR passport holders
Sri Lanka has begun offering Hong Kong SAR passport holders a visa on arrival valid for 30 days, provided they pre-register online for an Electronic Travel Authorisation. The change streamlines short-term business and leisure trips and adds Sri Lanka to the list of 175 jurisdictions offering visa-free or VOA access to SAR passports.
Legislator calls for five-fold increase in Guangdong-to-Hong Kong private-car quotas
A Hong Kong lawmaker has publicly proposed expanding the ‘Guangdong Cars Heading South’ quota from 100 to up to 1,000 vehicles a day, saying infrastructure can cope and the move would boost cross-border consumer spending. The government is reviewing the scheme after its first four months of operation.
Extra high-speed rail and East Rail services to relieve Golden-Week crowding, Transport Department says
Hong Kong will run 26 extra high-speed rail pairs, add East Rail frequency and open temporary immigration counters from 30 April to manage Golden-Week passenger volumes. Companies can leverage the added capacity but should still pad schedules for border formalities and urban traffic.