HK businesses see up to 15% decline during Mid-Autumn Festival

Hong Kong businesses have seen a 10 to 15% decrease during this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival compared to last year, according to Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades president Simon Wong Ka-wo.

Speaking on a radio programme on Wednesday, Wong said this is due to Hongkongers heading north and travelling abroad, with significantly more departures from Hong Kong than arrivals over the holiday weekend.

Despite festive events such as the fire dragon dance and drone show having a positive impact on the F&B sector, other regions continued to experience less foot traffic.

On the other hand, hotel occupancy rates reached 80 to 90% during the holiday period as Mid-Autumn activities drew several short-term visitors, said Hong Kong Tourism Association executive director Timothy Chui.

In fact, over the past three days, Hong Kong’s Immigration Department recorded about 350,000 mainland visitors to Hong Kong, while over 810,000 Hong Kong residents travelled abroad, more than doubling the number of visitors.

Moving forward, Chui believes a series of celebratory events could lure more long-distance travellers during the National Day holiday period, potentially boosting local tourism and the economy.

To welcome the National Day Golden Week in October, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) will be introducing various celebratory events to promote Hong Kong, such as drone shows, a special edition of A Symphony of Lights themed around the 75th National Day, special discount in the Temple Street night market, free tram rides and many more, to enrich the experience of the local public and visitors during the Golden Week.

The HKTB is also partnering with Mainland travel and lifestyle portal Amap in launching a special promotion “Exploring Hong Kong in National Day Golden Week” to promote various tourism hotspots in town with rewards, which appeal to visitors to broaden their footprint in Hong Kong and stimulate consumption.

To keep the local public and visitors abreast of the latest information on the National Day Golden Week, the HKTB has set up a dedicated page on its Discover Hong Kong one-stop platform, listing out various activities and offers available in town during the period with constant updates.

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