Hong Kong’s retail sector received a welcome boost in September as total sales rose 5.9 per cent year-on-year to HK$31.3 billion, marking a fifth consecutive month of expansion. In volume terms, sales were up 4.8 per cent, improving on August’s 3.4 per cent growth.
The government attributed the improvement to “sustained growth in inbound tourism and improving local consumer sentiment.” Visitor arrivals reached 3.29 million in September—an 8 per cent increase from a year earlier—with 2.46 million travellers coming from mainland China. The steady return of mainland visitors is critical because they historically account for more than three-quarters of Hong Kong’s total arrivals and are a key driver of retail and F&B spending.
A rebound in mobility is visible at land checkpoints and Hong Kong International Airport, where passenger throughput has climbed back to roughly 75 per cent of 2018 levels. Large-scale events such as the forthcoming Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival and expanded MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) calendar are further expected to stimulate cross-border travel and corporate visits in Q4.
For multinational employers running South China operations, the trend confirms that staff can once again rotate through Hong Kong on short notice—important for regional headquarters, compliance checks and supplier visits. Retail landlords and global brands are likewise recalibrating inventory and staffing models to capture the rebound in foot traffic.
Policy-wise, officials say they will continue rolling out e-Channel upgrades, streamlined group-tour visa processing and marketing campaigns in key source markets to “consolidate the recovery momentum.” These measures, combined with the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme due to launch in November, suggest that cross-border mobility will keep improving into 2026, although high hotel rates and a strong Hong Kong dollar remain watch-points for cost-sensitive travellers.
The government attributed the improvement to “sustained growth in inbound tourism and improving local consumer sentiment.” Visitor arrivals reached 3.29 million in September—an 8 per cent increase from a year earlier—with 2.46 million travellers coming from mainland China. The steady return of mainland visitors is critical because they historically account for more than three-quarters of Hong Kong’s total arrivals and are a key driver of retail and F&B spending.
A rebound in mobility is visible at land checkpoints and Hong Kong International Airport, where passenger throughput has climbed back to roughly 75 per cent of 2018 levels. Large-scale events such as the forthcoming Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival and expanded MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) calendar are further expected to stimulate cross-border travel and corporate visits in Q4.
For multinational employers running South China operations, the trend confirms that staff can once again rotate through Hong Kong on short notice—important for regional headquarters, compliance checks and supplier visits. Retail landlords and global brands are likewise recalibrating inventory and staffing models to capture the rebound in foot traffic.
Policy-wise, officials say they will continue rolling out e-Channel upgrades, streamlined group-tour visa processing and marketing campaigns in key source markets to “consolidate the recovery momentum.” These measures, combined with the Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles scheme due to launch in November, suggest that cross-border mobility will keep improving into 2026, although high hotel rates and a strong Hong Kong dollar remain watch-points for cost-sensitive travellers.
