Hong Kong is no longer as alluring to mainland travellers as before the pandemic, as it faces competition from other Chinese cities over pricing and attractions, say industry watchers. Those who crossed the border only made day trips to the financial hub during the Lunar New Year holiday.
According to preliminary figures from the Immigration Department, about 471,490 mainland visitors came to the city over the first three days of the holiday, or about 76 per cent of the 623,521 over the same period in 2019.
Mainland Chinese tourists were long considered big spenders keen to take advantage of the city’s selection of luxury goods and duty-free shopping, but since the border fully reopened last year, they have been splashing out less on high-end goods and instead seeking out cheaper experiences.
Tourists shop for luxury items in a mall in Admiralty during the Lunar New Year holiday. Photo: Eugene Lee
“Hong Kong’s attractiveness has overall weakened,” said Dicky Yip Chi-wai, the…
