Hong Kong Welcomes 12 Million Visitors in First Quarter of 2025 with 9% Year-on-Year Increase HKTB Launches New “Hong Kong Cultural Beat” Thematic Promotion to Highlight Profuse Traditional Festivals and Steps Up Promotions in Mainland China ahead of Labour Day Golden Week

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced that Hong Kong welcomed around 12.2 million visitors in the first quarter of 2025 (January to March), a year-on-year increase of 9% and the largest year-on-year quarterly growth in arrivals since travel resumed in Hong Kong. Following the thematic promotion “Hong Kong Super March” last month, HKTB leveraged the various traditional festivities and cultural events in May and June to celebrate the city’s rich culture with the world with a brand new thematic promotion “Hong Kong Cultural Beat”. With the peak travel season of Labour Day Golden Week approaching, HKTB has also stepped up marketing of Hong Kong in key Mainland markets, including the release of a series of tactical travel guides for the Golden Week holiday period and beyond. 

3.82 million visitor arrivals provisionally recorded for March 
Most non-Mainland markets continue to grow steadily in first quarter 

In March, a total of 3.82 million visitors came to Hong Kong, 12% more than in the same month in 2024. In the first quarter (January to March) of 2025, Hong Kong received a total of 12.2 million visitors, a year-on-year rise of 9%. Mainland and non-Mainland visitors accounted for 9.25 million and 2.98 million arrivals respectively, year-on-year increases of 6% and 18%.

Arrivals from non-Mainland markets continued to show steady growth in the first quarter of this year. Among short-haul markets, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan produced encouraging results, with arrivals from each market growing 30% or more in the first quarter compared with the same period last year. In long-haul markets, double-digit year-on-year growth was recorded for both the US and Canada. The performance of Australia exceeded every other long-haul market, with an impressive 32% yearon-year rise. 

“Hong Kong Cultural Beat” turns the spotlight on Hong Kong’s lively traditional festivals

Following the “Hong Kong Super March” promotion, which showcased diverse events around the city to enrich the experiences of both visitors and locals, HKTB is launching a new “Hong Kong Cultural Beat” thematic promotion, shining a spotlight on traditional festivals and other events around Hong Kong from now until June, including the Yuen Long Shap Pat Heung Tin Hau Festival Procession, the Cheung Chau Jiao Festival, the Buddha’s Birthday Carnival at Victoria Park, the Chinese Culture Festival, and the Hong Kong ICH Month, as well as other arts and cultural events such as French May and the Affordable Art Fair Hong Kong. 

To enrich the excitement of the promotion, HKTB will stage a drone show on the evening of 1 May (Thursday) on the Wan Chai Temporary Promenade centred around three festivals recognised as part of Hong Kong’s Intangible Cultural Heritage – the Tin Hau Festival, the Tam Kung Festival, and the Cheung Chau Jiao Festival. In June, HKTB will organise the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races. As well as thrilling races on Victoria Harbour, there will be a packed programme of activities day and night, with food, photo spots, and other entertainment activities on shore. Get ready to embrace Hong Kong’s rich tradition of festivals with an irresistible wave of delightful cultural events.  

To help visitors and locals plan their itineraries and experience Hong Kong’s unparalleled cultural charm, HKTB has set up a dedicated page for “Hong Kong Cultural Beat” (https://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/what-s-new/events/cultural-beat.html) on its DiscoverHongKong one-stop travel information platform featuring a host of different exciting events. The webpage offers practical travel guides, including tips on Buddha Bathing, an entertainment guide to Cheung Chau, and a curated list of cultural tours and workshops to help locals and visitors immerse themselves in Hong Kong’s rich heritage.

HKTB will share in-depth tips on each event with event-specific tips and guides. HKTB has also invited KOLs to Hong Kong to experience the festivals, culture, and exuberant ambience, and share their experience of the city’s vitality and heritage with a worldwide audience. 

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HKTB launches different tactical guides for Labour Day Golden Week to attract Mainland visitors  

As Labour Day Golden Week is around the corner, HKTB has stepped up its promotion of the “Hong Kong Cultural Beat” theme and launched a series of promotions targeting Mainland markets through social media platforms, including Xiaohongshu, WeChat, Weibo, Douyin, and many others. The promotions will feature experiences such as a City Walk with Intangible Heritage in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Style Strolling, Photo Tips in the new Kai Tak Neighbourhood, etc. to encourage travelers of different demographics to visit Hong Kong. 

During Labour Day Golden Week, HKTB will consolidate and constantly update its DiscoverHongKong one-stop travel information platform (https://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/plan/traveller-info/goldenweek-special-info.html) with transport details, opening hours of major attractions, information on boundary clearance and arrangements at ports of control, and other travel information for the convenience of visitors and locals. 

Provisional visitor arrivals in March 2025 

Note: Because of rounding, the total may differ from the sum of the individual figures.
*Includes figures from long-haul, short-haul, and new markets, as well as the Macao SAR. 
(Full details of March 2025 visitor arrivals will be released on 30 April.)