Hong Kong’s Immigration Department has confirmed that 1.41 million mainland Chinese tourists entered the city between 1 and 7 October, beating the government’s projection of 1.29 million despite the break being shortened to seven days this year. The influx underscores a robust rebound in north-south leisure and retail traffic. A total of 1,140 organised tour groups—carrying 41,000 visitors—were recorded, with 60 percent of travellers opting for overnight stays that filled hotels to near-capacity, particularly in Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay. The 1 October harbour fireworks display alone drew 378,000 spectators, many of whom crossed via the high-speed rail link at West Kowloon. For corporate mobility teams, the numbers signal potential congestion at visa-on-arrival counters and taxi queues coinciding with major conventions such as the Global Sources trade show later this month. Companies should secure lodging blocks early and consider airport-express e-channel enrolment for frequent travellers. Retail analysts report a 15 percent uptick in UnionPay and Alipay transaction volumes compared with Golden Week 2025, suggesting renewed spending power among mainland consumers—a positive indicator for cross-border e-commerce firms with Hong Kong fulfilment centres. Hong Kong Tourism Board executives say they will lobby to extend operating hours at the Lo Wu and Lok Ma Chau checkpoints during future holiday peaks, a move that would further streamline business and leisure flows within the Greater Bay Area.
Source: South China Morning Post
