Hong Kong records 1.19m visitors over Golden Week
Hong Kong welcomed about 1.19 million visitors over the Labour Day Golden Week, marking a rise of eight percent compared to the same holiday a year ago. Arrivals from the mainland increased 10 percent to about 1.01 million during the May 1-5 period, according to figures released by the Immigration Department on Wednesday. Most of them opted to travel to the SAR via the Lok Ma Chau Spur Line Control Point, followed by the Express Rail Link West Kowloon checkpoint. Hotel occupancies reached 90 percent overall, which was slightly higher than last year, despite a 10 percent rise in room prices compared to long holidays in the past. Chief Secretary Eric Chan said in a statement that the surge in visitor arrivals provided a boost for various sectors. “Representatives of some shopping malls indicated that consumption in various retail categories saw year-on-year double-digit increases, while the catering sector noted that businesses in tourist areas increased about 20 per cent in the same period, generating considerable economic benefits,” Chan said. Edited by Aaron Tam