Hong Kong visitor numbers in 2024 surged by 31 percent compared to the previous year, driven by tourism promotions and the relaxed travel rules for Chinese mainland visitors, the Hong Kong Tourism Board said on Wednesday.

While the mainland remains the largest source of visitors, there has also been significant growth in the Southeast Asian market, as well as in long-distance markets such as the United States, thanks to the steady restoration of global air travel capacity, the board’s data revealed.

The number of inbound visitors increased by nearly 31 percent to 44.5 million last year, a figure that aligns with expectations, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said in response to a lawmaker’s inquiry. Among the tourists, about 34 million came from the mainland, up by 27 percent compared with the number in 2023.

Law primarily credited the introduction of the new multiple-entry travel endorsement for Shenzhen residents, the opening of high-speed sleeper trains connecting Hong Kong with Beijing and Shanghai and the increase to the duty-free allowance for mainland travelers for this increase.

She reported that over 3.1 million trips were made by mainland residents last month, marking a 17 percent rise from November.

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The 10.5 million visitors from non-mainland regions also represent a significant 44 percent jump year-on-year. Notably, non-mainland visits surpassed 1 million in November and December, according to HKTB.

Visitors from the Philippines reached a record 1.2 million last year, while those from Indonesia, Malaysia and India saw increases of 43 percent, 50 percent and over 70 percent, respectively.

Long-haul markets also saw a strong recovery, with visitors from the US, Canada, Australia and European countries collectively rising by 50 percent.

The board reported that about half of the inbound visits last year were for overnight stays, with visitors spending an average of 3.2 nights in the city. Overnight visitors rated their experience in Hong Kong at 8.8 out of 10 points, with 94 percent expressing a willingness to recommend the city and revisit, surpassing the levels in 2023.

Dane Cheng Ting-yat, the board’s chief executive, highlighted the effect of government-sponsored tourism promotions carried out last year, including efforts to enhance Hong Kong’s appeal as a Muslim-friendly destination.

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Law noted that the government aims to leverage various central government measures to improve travel flexibility for mainland visitors in a bid to boost tourism in Hong Kong.

“Hong Kong benefits greatly from the support of the motherland,” she said. “We will continue to leverage the various measures offered by the central government.”

On Dec 30, 2024, the Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau issued the Development Blueprint for Hong Kong's Tourism Industry 2.0, proposing working directions and measures in the coming five years.

Speaking about the blueprint, Law said at the LegCo that the government’s vision and mission are to consolidate the city’s position as a world-class premier tourist destination as well as to advocate the healthy and sustainable development of tourism-related industries and promote economic development through tourism.

Blueprint 2.0 proposes four-pronged positioning for tourism development. They are: reinforcing the role of an international tourism hub and a core demonstration zone for multi-destination tourism; highlighting the irreplaceable and unrepeatable elements of Hong Kong's local cultural characteristics and making good use of its positioning as the East-meets-West center for international cultural exchange; upholding the SAR’s position as a city with high-quality tourism experiences; stressing the importance of quality over quantity in building the city into a demonstration point for sustainable tourism.

Pointing out that Hong Kong's culinary scene is a dynamic tapestry of diverse and vibrant flavors with the fusion of traditional Chinese and Western food cultures, Law said the government has been promoting the city as a "City of Gastronomy" to the global audience through different promotional means and channels.

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Law indicated that Hong Kong plans to learn from cities designated as UNESCO Cities of Gastronomy to enhance its culinary tourism. There are over 50 such cities worldwide, including six Chinese cities: Chengdu, Chaozhou, Macao, Yangzhou, Huai’an and Shunde of Foshan,

Law said that visitor projections for this year will be provided after assessing factors such as airline capacity, exchange rates, and global economic conditions.

Contact the writer at lilei@chinadailyhk.com