Hong Kong Tourism Board: September visitor arrivals to Hong Kong recorded about 4.03 million, up 22% year-on-year.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board announced that preliminary visitor arrivals to Hong Kong in September recorded about 4.03 million, up 22% year-on-year. Cumulative visitor arrivals to Hong Kong in the first nine months of this year totaled about 40.7 million, up 12% year-on-year, reflecting that Hong Kong's tourism industry continues to maintain growth momentum. The Hong Kong Tourism Board analyzed that, benefiting from the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday and a number of festive events held in Hong Kong during the same period, including the annual Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnivals and the first-ever "International Mid-Autumn Lantern Extravaganza," coupled with the low comparison base caused by severe weather in the same period last year, the number of mainland visitor arrivals to Hong Kong in September rose by nearly 30% year-on-year. In terms of source market distribution, mainland visitors surged 29% year-on-year in September to 3.17 million, long-haul markets rose 20% to 286,000, and new markets also rose 13% to 67,000, but short-haul visitor arrivals fell 9% year-on-year to 421,000. The Hong Kong Tourism Board pointed out that long-haul markets continued to record ideal growth; although short-haul markets were driven by festive events, visitor growth still faced certain pressure due to factors such as aviation capacity and fuel surcharges. Cumulative visitor arrivals to Hong Kong in the first nine months of this year totaled about 40.7 million, up 12% year-on-year, which the Hong Kong Tourism Board said reflects that Hong Kong's tourism industry continues to maintain growth momentum. Among them, mainland visitor arrivals to Hong Kong increased 14% year-on-year to 31.9 million, long-haul markets and new markets rose 19% and 15% year-on-year, while short-haul markets fell 5% year-on-year.