The Travel Industry Council predicts that 1.5 million mainlanders will travel to the SAR during the eight-day holiday, representing a 10 percent increase from last year, when the Golden Week was seven days.
The council’s executive director, Fanny Yeung, said the signature major events across the city are expected to attract significant crowds.
“First of all, we have the fireworks. Fireworks with our Victoria Harbour behind as a background, I think that is the most spectacular scene for our visitors,” she said.
“Other than that, because this year, the Mid-Autumn Festival is also falling into the Golden Week time, so we have a Unesco fire dragon [dance] in Tai Hang. That will be a consecutive three-day event.”
The council estimates 1,300 tour groups will arrive with 45,000 visitors, accounting for 3 percent of total mainland arrivals.
The projected number of tour group visitors would also mark a 10 percent increase from a year ago.
The positive outlook is echoed by Caspar Tsui, executive director of the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners, who reported strong booking momentum, with visitors planning trips earlier than last year.
He noted a shift in priorities, with travellers now seeking immersive trips and unique cultural experiences over traditional shopping and food packages.
“They’re willing to spend as long as the experiential is up to their standard in value. In Hong Kong, I think for National Day, we have a lot of offerings. From Kai Tak to West Kowloon to horse racing tourism, these are all new,” he said.
“But not to mention our core Victoria Harbour, the fireworks and all the cultural and historical sites and theme parks, they are still very attractive. The important thing is we need to promote it so that the tourists are aware of what they can do in Hong Kong.”
The government has announced that various sectors will launch National Day celebrations and promotions, including half-price cinema tickets, free tram and select ferry rides and discounts at major attractions.
Looking ahead, Tsui emphasised that continued collaboration involving industry stakeholders and government initiatives is crucial to further solidify Hong Kong’s position as a premier global travel destination.
The robust recovery of the tourism sector is further underscored by the latest figures from the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
The city has provisionally recorded 5.15 million visitor arrivals in August, a 16 percent year-on-year increase and the highest monthly total since the pandemic.
From January to August, Hong Kong welcomed approximately 33 million visitors, a 12 percent increase, with strong growth from the mainland and other key markets including Taiwan, South Korea, Japan and Australia.
