HK expects a holiday tourism boom

Tourism in Hong Kong is expected to get a shot in the arm during the Chinese mainland's May Day holiday, with the city planning to launch a raft of activities and strengthen collaboration with the mainland to attract visitors.

Hong Kong anticipates welcoming about 800,000 mainland visitors during the five-day holiday, beginning on May 1, up 30 percent year-on-year, said Fanny Yeung Shuk-fan, executive director of the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong.

She said 800 mainland tour groups comprising up to 28,000 travelers are expected to visit Hong Kong during the holiday.

Mainland visitors are likely to opt for short-haul trips during the holiday, which could make Hong Kong a sought-after destination, Yeung said on Wednesday.

Hong Kong is intensifying efforts to boost its tourism industry to drive economic growth through the launch of a series of big events and enhanced promotion on the mainland. The city will hold a fireworks display on May 1 and a drone show on May 11.

The city has also formed a strategic partnership with mainland social media platform Xiaohongshu to strengthen cooperation on cultural tourism promotion.

The latest statistics from the Hong Kong Tourism Board show that the city recorded 11.2 million visitor arrivals in the first quarter of the year, up 5 percent on the fourth quarter of last year.

About 8.7 million of the arrivals were from the mainland.