The May Day holiday in mainland China has passed, with the Hong Kong government planning to attract visitors through fireworks displays and other activities. During the holiday period, a total of 766,179 visitors arrived from mainland China, an increase of 22.4% compared to last year’s May Day holiday which saw 625,500 visitors. However, the numbers have not yet returned to pre-pandemic levels. On the other hand, 1,148,244 Hong Kong residents traveled overseas during the same period.
The Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Cheng Dingyi, stated in an interview that it is unrealistic to expect tourist numbers to return to pre-pandemic levels and acknowledged a shift in consumer behavior among post-pandemic travelers, with shopping no longer being a primary focus.
The May Day holiday this year ran from May 1st to May 5th. According to immigration data, the peak days for arrivals from mainland China were May 1st and May 2nd, with 181,400 and 191,700 visitors respectively.
Interestingly, starting from May 3rd, the number of outbound mainland Chinese travelers exceeded inbound arrivals. While there were 189,000 Chinese arrivals on that day, there were 208,900 departures from Hong Kong. On May 4th, the numbers were 113,800 arrivals and 169,500 departures, and on the final day of the holiday, May 5th, there were 90,300 arrivals and 136,100 departures.
Immigration authorities had initially estimated 800,000 mainland Chinese visitors for this year’s May Day holiday. From April 30th to May 5th, a total of 876,874 mainland Chinese visitors were recorded in Hong Kong.
Comparing to the 2019 May Day holiday, which saw 997,000 mainland Chinese visitors, Cheng Dingyi had already pointed out that aiming to reach pre-pandemic tourism numbers is unrealistic.
From April 30th to May 5th, both Hong Kong residents and foreign tourists entering and leaving the city totaled nearly 4.95 million, falling short of the immigration department’s forecast of 5.9 million.
Cheng Dingyi highlighted during an interview with a local newspaper that Hong Kong has been among the last regions globally to fully reopen, with only about 14 months passing since the mask mandates were lifted. He mentioned that last year, the main focus of the Tourism Board was signaling to the mainland and overseas markets, and this year there will be an expansion in travel products to encourage visitors to take action and visit Hong Kong.
However, he also admitted that post-pandemic tourists are now more focused on value for money rather than just shopping, indicating a shift in consumer behavior. Some businesses have reported that even if tourist numbers recover to 70% of pre-pandemic levels, their business growth has not kept up with the pace. Cheng Dingyi believes that Hong Kong is going through a transformation, with locals increasingly traveling north for shopping, and attracting tourists requires a reevaluation of business strategies.
Cheng Dingyi further stated that pursuing a return to pre-pandemic tourism levels is impractical, noting that in 2018, Hong Kong experienced a peak of 65 million inbound tourists with overcrowding issues affecting both locals and visitors negatively. He also addressed concerns about the oversaturation of promoting “Hong Kong storytelling” in recent years, emphasizing the importance of delivering targeted and engaging narratives to different markets through various channels.
Despite some criticisms that recent events like the May Day fireworks display and the upcoming drone show may not have a significant appeal to mainland Chinese visitors, Cheng Dingyi emphasized that such events are part of a broader strategy to enhance festive atmospheres and complement traditional celebrations.