Hongkongers make 1.32 million outbound trips over past 3 days of Christmas break, beating levels recorded before pandemic
- Number of departures by Hongkongers rose by 20.9 per cent compared with the same period in 2018 and by 15.6 per cent over 2019 figures
- Hospitality industry chiefs say business has been slower than last Christmas
Hong Kong residents took more than 1.32 million outbound trips over the past three days of the Christmas holidays, exceeding pre-pandemic levels, but visitor numbers have not recovered to the same extent.
Hospitality industry leaders on Tuesday said business was also slower than last Christmas, when coronavirus social-distancing rules and travel restrictions were in force, and urged authorities to introduce more measures to boost consumption.
Immigration Department statistics showed that Hongkongers took 1,327,744 outbound trips from Saturday to Monday. Over the same period, mainland Chinese and overseas visitors accounted for 470,648 inbound trips. Mainland visitors made up 77 per cent of arrivals.
The number of departures by Hongkongers from Saturday to Monday rose 20.9 per cent compared with the same period in 2018 and by 15.6 per cent over 2019 – the year anti-government protests rocked the city.
The number of tourists arriving this Christmas was down 27 per cent on the 645,146 visitors for the same period in 2018. The 2019 figure was only 302,882.
For Tuesday, 319,478 departures and 486,110 arrivals were recorded as of 9pm.
Anthea Cheung So-may, director of the Lan Kwai Fong Association, which groups together 100 restaurants and bars in the popular entertainment area in Central, said fewer people came to the district over the festive break compared with last year when restrictions were still in force.
