FIRST HALF OF 2024 SEES VISITOR SURGE

The Tourism Board has announced that the provisional figure for visitor arrivals in June was 3.13 million, marking a 14% increase year on year.

Cumulatively, about 21 million visitors arrived in Hong Kong in the first half of 2024, representing a 64% increase year on year.

Overnight visitors accounted for 50% of all visitor arrivals during the period, while the meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (MICE) tourism sector showed particular vibrancy.

Tourism Board Director and Business Development Team Lead (MICE) Phoebe Shing outlined that in the first half of 2024, Hong Kong received 700,000 MICE travellers. This amounted to about 80% of the number in the same period of 2018, making MICE travel the fastest recovering visitor segment in Hong Kong.

Each overnight MICE visitor spent an average of $8,000 in Hong Kong, which is about 20 to 30% higher than the average per capita spend of all inbound overnight visitors. MICE visitors stayed in town for 3.7 nights on average, higher than the average of 3.2 nights for all overnight visitors.

Half of the overnight MICE visitors came from international markets, compared to 25% of all overnight visitors. Ms Shing said this indicates that the MICE sector is helping to attract more international tourists to Hong Kong.

The Government highlighted that more than 210 mega events are being held throughout 2024, across a wide range of fields such as culture, art, and sports.

Together, these events are anticipated to attract approximately 1.7 million visitors to Hong Kong, bringing in $7.2 billion in consumption revenues and adding approximately $4.3 billion to the local economy.

The Government said mega events not only bring business opportunities but also enhance Hong Kong’s international status and image, by attracting tourists from all over the world to experience the vitality of Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, in the recently announced “Asia’s 50 Best Bars 2024” list, a bar in Hong Kong took the top award. Hong Kong had four bars in the top 10, more than any other city, confirming its top-ranking status on the Asian bar scene.

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