(16/01/23) The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has reported that approximately 600,000 people visited the city in 2022.
This figure is provisional, with the exact full-year number of visitor arrivals, as well as that for December 2022, scheduled for release on 31 January.
Hong Kong Island at night. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com
Since the government started lifting various pandemic-related inbound control measures, visitor arrivals have gradually picked up in the past few months, with most visitors coming from the Mainland and Southeast Asian markets.
In addition to overnight stopovers and family reunions, business travellers have also started to increase in number.
HKTB has said that it expects the city’s tourism will be revived progressively, and has gradually stepped up promotions in select source markets to broadcast the positive message that Hong Kong is welcoming back visitors. HKTB also plans to launch a large-scale global promotion in phases.
Hong Kong’s Provisional Full-Year Visitor Arrivals – 2022
Note: *Includes figures from long-haul, short-haul, and new markets, as well as Macao SAR. Also, because of rounding, the total may differ from the sum of the individual figures.
HKTB to Launch Large-Scale Global Promotions Next Month
Recent figures reveal that daily visitor arrivals to Hong Kong has increased from between 2,400 and 4,500 per day during the Amber Code period to over 10,000 per day after the lifting of Amber Code.
The major source markets are the Mainland, Philippines, Taiwan and the United States, followed by Thailand.
Apart from overnight stopovers, family visits, business trips and essential travel, there has also been a slight increase in leisure arrivals since the lifting of all COVID19 inbound control measures at the end of December.
The HKTB has said that it expects Hong Kong’s tourism to gradually recover, subject to the following factors:
1. Airline capacity has not yet been fully restored;
2. Shortage of manpower in the tourism and related sectors;
3. Uncertain economic outlook and concerns arising from current exchange rates; and
4. Some markets still impose inbound control measures on visitors arriving from the Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao, which travellers may find inconvenient when returning home
Because of all the above, it is expected that visitors will mainly come from markets such as the Mainland and Southeast Asia.
HKTB’s large-scale global promotions will commence next month with the following three strategies designed to help drive tourism revival:
Strategy 1: Warm Welcome
HKTB has prepared a series of welcome messages of “Say Hello” to Mainland and Southeast Asian markets from business leaders, celebrities and KOLs to spread positive messages of a warm welcome.
HKTB will also roll out a series of videos showcasing Hong Kong’s brand new experiences in arts and culture, attractions, culinary, etc.
HKTB will invite 500+ members of the travel trade, media and Hong Kong Super Fans to Hong Kong to enjoy the experiences in person.
– HKTB will lead the local travel trade to join outreach promotions and participate in large-scale global travel trade shows and trade events.
Strategy 2: Mega Events
The HKTB has already secured 30 large-scale MICE events of various themes to be hosted in the city starting from 2023, including business management, aviation, technology and medical sciences:
– 2023 WOW Summit Hong Kong, Global Web 3.0 industry summit;
– RISE, one of the most influential tech summits;
– 44th Asia Pacific Dental Congress;
– 10th Annual General Meeting of International Association for Chinese Management Research;
– 2024 East Asian Insurance Congress
There are also a series of flagship events returning to Hong Kong, including the Jewellery & Gem ASIA Hong Kong (JGA) and Jewellery & Gem World Hong Kong (JGW) to be held in June and September 2023 respectively, Cosmoprof Asia and the Asia Fruit Logistica, the MICE sector expects a total of about 300,000 participants.
Leveraging Hong Kong’s geographical advantage of being well connected to the Mainland and overseas cities, HKTB will strengthen its support for securing more large-scale international MICE events to be hosted in or return to Hong Kong to attract high-yield business visitors and consolidate its status as the “World’s Meeting Place”.
Hong Kong will stage a number of major events in 2023:
Strategy 3: Hong Kong Goodies
HKTB will give out ‘Hong Kong Goodies’ – such as promotions and vouchers – to visitors that can be used in more than 100 bars, restaurants and hotels for a free drink or redemption for consumption amount and offerings at more than 130 attractions, dining or retail outlets and transport operators.
HKTB will also roll out various offerings with different trade partners such as airlines, travel agents and hotels, encouraging such partners to launch their own promotions to help bring people back to the city as visitors.
HKTB has also said that it will support the free air ticket giveaway by the Airport Authority Hong Kong, especially in overseas promotions.
