Hong Kong Struggles to Retain Mainland Visitors

Not many visitors come to celebrate Chinese New Year in HK

It's the second day of the Lunar New Year in Hong Kong, but despite the festivities, including the fireworks display, the tourism industry is finding it challenging. Hotels are reporting about 90 percent occupancy, which sounds promising, but visitors are having shorter visits, and mainland tourists aren't spending much money in the city.

Travel Industry Council chairman Tommy Tam Kwong-shun had said 1.45 million mainland tourists were expected to visit Hong Kong between January 28 and February 4, about 15 percent more than last year. 

But some skeptics pointed out many mainlanders are from just across the border, and the convenience of transportation networks have motivated them to make day trips than book hotels.

Mainlanders prefer to eat cheaply, no shopping

"Since the multiple-entry scheme serves only Shenzhen residents for now, visitors probably won't choose to stay overnight," said Jack Cheung Ki-tang, director of CTS HK Metropark Hotels Management.

He noted the average spending for those who stayed overnight in Hong Kong was around HK$1,300 (US$167) per night, with an average of two nights per trip, less than the three nights in previous years.

Cheung also noted mainland visitors preferred eating at cha chaan tengs or noodle shops, indicating they did not want to spend money at full-service restaurants or order room service.

According to Immigration Department numbers, 79,895 mainland visitor trips were made into Hong Kong on the first day of the Lunar New Year, while locals made 330,633 trips out of the city.

While many Hongkongers stay in the city to celebrate the new year with family, a lot of them prefer to use the several days' holiday to go abroad, either to the mainland to visit relatives, or travel regionally to places like Thailand, Vietnam, and of course, Japan.