Hong Kong’s well-planned Chinese New Year events, including the locally born panda twins’ public debut on Feb 16, are expected to attract over 1.4 million Chinese mainland tourists during their eight-day Golden Week.
From Tuesday — Chinese New Year’s Eve — through Feb 4, Hong Kong anticipates an average of 175,000 mainland visitors daily, a 14 percent increase from the previous year, Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu told reporters on Tuesday.
The period overlaps the three-day public holiday of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which is Jan 29-31.
READ MORE: Hong Kong airport sees 34.3% growth in passenger volume in 2024
A vibrant night parade on Jan 29 will feature 55 international performance troupes, surpassing last year’s scale. A 23-minute fireworks display will illuminate Victoria Harbour at 8 pm on Jan 30.
Sports fans can enjoy horse racing at Sha Tin Racecourse on Jan 31, and the Chinese New Year Cup soccer match will return to Hong Kong Stadium, featuring international soccer legends such as Brazil’s Kaka and Rivaldo, and Paul Scholes of England.
The locally born panda twins will celebrate their six-month birth anniversary on Feb 15 with a ceremony, preceding their public debut the following day.
Lee suggested holding contests to name the pandas, aiming to add warmth and joy to the festive season, with specific government arrangements to be announced later.
Lee plans to visit various districts with government officials from Saturday to Tuesday to meet grassroots families and inspect their living conditions.
Lee expressed optimism that the Year of the Snake will maintain the tourism momentum seen in 2024, when the city hosted almost 45 million visitors, recording a 31 percent year-on-year increase.
The number of mainland and nonmainland visitors saw annual increases of about 27 percent and 44 percent respectively. Notably, Southeast Asian visitors showed strong growth, with Filipino visitors marking a record high of nearly 1.2 million; Long-distance visitors from countries like the United States and Australia surged by 50 percent year-on-year.
He added that Hong Kong’s air transport capacity had largely returned to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2024. Last year, the passenger volume of Hong Kong International Airport reached 53 million, reaching a post-pandemic high with 35 percent year-on-year growth. Eighteen new flight destinations were launched, including long-haul routes to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Cairns, Australia.
Lee said that the airport is set to further expand its long-haul flight network in 2025, targeting new routes to the Gold Coast in Australia; Dallas, United States; Munich, Germany; Brussels, Belgium; Rome, Italy; and Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
He added that existing long-haul nonstop services linking Europe, the United States, Australia, the Middle East, and other regions will also see increased frequencies, enhancing Hong Kong’s status as an international aviation hub.
Fraud victim saved
In recent months, Hong Kong residents’ travel interest in Southeast Asia has been hindered by scams and human trafficking concerns in the region.
Briefing on the SAR government’s recent law enforcement actions, Lee said the authorities have intensified international collaboration and efforts to combat cross-border employment scams.
ALSO READ: HK panda twins set to debut on Feb 16, adding to CNY cheer
An SAR government task force, established on Jan 12, is continuing efforts to rescue 10 Hong Kong residents who remain detained at scam centers in Myanmar and Cambodia.
In the latest development, a 29-year-old Hong Kong resident safely reached Thailand from Myanmar on Tuesday. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said the task force has departed for Thailand to facilitate his return to Hong Kong.
The man is the second individual rescued during the task force operation, following another man who returned home on Thursday after paying ransom. Previously, 16 victims escaped through private efforts.
