10 million visitors came to Hong Kong in first 5 months of year, but top tourism official warns labour shortages, lack of flights could affect recovery

Tourist numbers return to 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, with increase led by mainland Chinese and Southeast Asian visitors

Dane Cheng, executive director of Tourism Board, expresses concern over flight capacity

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Tourists at Victoria Harbour in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Sam Tsang

Published: 6:06pm, 2 Jun 2023Updated: 11:34pm, 2 Jun 2023

More than 10 million visitors arrived in Hong Kong in the first five months of this year, accounting for 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels, but a top tourism official has warned labour shortages and a lack of flight capacity could affect the recovery in the rest of the year.

Dane Cheng Ting-yat, executive director of the Tourism Board, on Friday said the increase in visitors was led by mainland Chinese and Southeast Asian tourists, with their numbers returning to more than 60 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

United States visitors were back to 45 per cent of the pre-Covid level and European Union 36 per cent, mainly driven by business or essential travel.

Over half of the total number of visitors in February spent an average of 4.3 nights in the city, while those who came between March and April stayed for 3.6 nights, exceeding the pre-pandemic figure of 3.2 nights.

The number of visitors to Hong Kong has returned to 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. Photo: Sam Tsang

Cheng said more mainland tourists took the high-speed rail link to enter the city, with 20 per cent opting for the train service between March and April compared with 10 per cent before the pandemic.

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