Hong Kong saw a surge in mainland Chinese visitor arrivals during the first two days of the National Day “golden week” holiday, surpassing pre-pandemic figures from 2018 and boosting the city’s restaurant sector. According to Immigration Department data, 511,311 mainland visitors entered the city on Thursday and Friday, exceeding the 508,578 arrivals recorded during the same period six years ago.

The influx included 277,304 mainland tourists on the opening day—up from 247,626 in 2018—and 234,007 visitors on the second day, slightly below the 260,952 arrivals recorded then. Concurrently, more than 568,000 Hong Kong residents left the city over Friday and Saturday, marking a 14 percent increase compared with last year’s corresponding period.

Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui expressed confidence that Hong Kong would reach its yearly target of 53.8 million visitors ahead of schedule. This goal, set by the government earlier this year, represents an 8 percent rise over the 49.89 million arrivals registered in 2025. Law cited strong visitor turnout during the recent Mid-Autumn Festival weekend, which saw a 28 percent increase, as an indicator that the golden week figures could continue growing if they add a further 5 percent.

Nonetheless, Law acknowledged that global economic challenges, particularly in Southeast Asia, have affected short-haul travel demand due to higher airfares and cautious spending among tourists. She indicated that authorities plan to engage more closely with travelers to understand their preferences and aim to resume promotional efforts in key markets such as Southeast Asia when conditions improve.

The tourism secretary also highlighted local events that have attracted visitors, including the Victoria Park Mid-Autumn lantern carnival. Organized by the Tourism Board alongside retail and catering sectors, the event showcased Hong Kong’s cultural appeal as a blend of Eastern and Western influences.

In the catering industry, Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, described the first two days of the holiday as surpassing expectations. On October 1 alone, food and beverage turnover reached HK$320 million, benefiting from the large crowds drawn by the fireworks display. Wong noted a 10 percent year-on-year increase in restaurant revenues, attributing this to mainland visitors coming from farther cities who tended to stay longer and spend more. He expressed optimism that visitor momentum could continue throughout the week, potentially exceeding the government’s official forecast of 1.29 million mainland visitor trips.

However, this positive trend was not uniform across all districts. Wendy Kwok and Jo Leung, owners of a local snack and rice dish outlet in the Dragon Centre food court in Sham Shui Po, reported that customer traffic was down about 30 percent compared with typical weekend levels, leaving many seats unoccupied.

Meanwhile, Secretary for Transport and Logistics Mable Chan noted strong demand for the Southbound Travel Scheme, which permits Guangdong vehicles access to Hong Kong. Bookings exceeded the daily quota of 200, reaching nearly 300 during the holiday, aligning with expectations of fluctuating demand on regular days but marked increases during peak periods like the National Day break.