Latest news with #TourismBoard
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
2.3% rise in mainland visitors to Hong Kong on first day of Dragon Boat Festival
Hong Kong has recorded a 2.3 per cent increase against last year in the number of mainland Chinese tourists arriving on the first day of the Tuen Ng Festival holiday, as some opted to avoid crowds across the border and instead experience the city's festive vibe. Data published by the Immigration Department on Sunday showed that 139,585 visitors from the mainland arrived in the city on Saturday, the start of what is a three-day long weekend across the border. The city also recorded 574,895 outbound trips on Saturday, slightly more than the 570,000 estimated by authorities. The departures included 432,342 Hong Kong residents, which was also a 17 per cent drop from the 521,759 last year. Tourists and locals headed out to soak up the festivities on Sunday, with dozens of children and their parents queuing to enjoy an interactive drum game that mimicked a dragon boat race outside the K11 Musea shopping centre. Many also gathered near a photo spot that was set up by the Tourism Board and Ocean Park with cut-outs of six pandas and dragon boats against the backdrop of Victoria Harbour.
South China Morning Post
22-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong should tap tourism data to fix ‘blind' industry approach, lawmakers say
Hong Kong should step up its efforts to collect, share and make use of visitor data, lawmakers have said, as they discussed a motion aimed at strengthening the city's status as an international tourism hub and its position as a world-class destination. Presenting the non-binding motion on Thursday, tourism lawmaker Perry Yiu Pak-leung called on authorities to collect more detailed data as currently the industry was like the tale of 'the blind men and the elephant'. Yiu was referring to the parable in which a group of blind men each touch a different part of an elephant and describe it based solely on their limited experience, leading to incomplete and conflicting understandings. 'Currently, the government only publicly releases basic data from the Immigration Department and Tourism Board questionnaire surveys,' he said. He said there were significant gaps in available information, especially the absence of outbound travel data for Hong Kong residents. 'Key metrics such as tourist gender, age, entry and exit patterns, mobility habits, the provincial origin of mainland Chinese tourists and the types of visas held cannot be ascertained,' he added.
South China Morning Post
14-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
190 teams set to race in Hong Kong's biggest dragon boat event since 2019
About 4,500 athletes from 190 teams across 12 countries are set to compete in the upcoming Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, following a series of pre-event activities that will include a food market and a pop-up store. The event will be the largest since Covid-19 affected the city, although it remains significantly smaller than pre-pandemic editions. The Tourism Board said on Tuesday that the 2025 edition of the 'Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races' would take place from June 7 to 8. Participants representing 190 teams from 12 countries would take part in 19 races, including local and mainland Chinese groups as well as those from the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, the board added. The event will also welcome participants from Qatar and Egypt for the first time. 5 pop culture nods to Dragon Boat Festival from sci-fi to Animal Crossing 'We have taken innovation to new heights this year by transforming the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races into an immersive day-and-night dragon boat carnival,' said Tourism Board executive director Dane Cheng Ting-yat. 'The event offers visitors and locals a blend of cultural activities and celebrations steeped in Hong Kong's East-meets-West heritage, enriching the city's potential for mega-event tourism.' The races will build upon the momentum of earlier festivities, starting May 31, when a 'Dragon Boat Food Lane' will launch at the Avenue of Stars in Tsim Sha Tsui and run for nine consecutive days, offering a variety of Dragon Boat Festival-themed snacks such as rice dumplings, boat-shaped iced treats and drinks. The food market will open daily from 1pm to 10pm. A panda-themed pop-up store selling souvenirs and a photo spot, featuring the city's six pandas living at Ocean Park, will also be set up on the launch day. The 'Mixed Championship' event of the 2024 Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races. Photo: Dickson Lee Throughout the race days, flash mobs of acrobatic performances by Cirque du Soleil will take place at Avenue of Stars and the Urban Council Centenary Garden, while a beer garden will also be set up in the area from 2pm to 10pm, offering four varieties of draught beer for spectators. Tourists can redeem a voucher for one complimentary beer by visiting designated Tourism Board visitor centres or at a collection point at the East Tsim Sha Tsui Promenade. In 2023 and 2024, the event featured about 170 teams and around 4,000 athletes – significantly fewer than in pre-Covid years, with 272 teams joining in 2019 and 269 in 2018. Each of those two pre-pandemic editions welcomed about 6,000 competitors. 'Looking ahead, we will continue to build closer partnerships with the business community to drive the success of such events and unlock even greater economic benefits for our city,' Cheng said on Tuesday. The event will also have new additions this year, such as a Secondary Schools Championship and a Disciplinary Forces Championship, which the board said was aimed at engaging young people and various community groups in the tradition of dragon boat racing.
South China Morning Post
13-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Dragon Boat competition in Hong Kong to draw 4,500 athletes from 12 countries
About 4,500 athletes representing 190 teams from 12 countries are set to compete in the coming Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races, following a series of pre-event activities such as a food market and pop-up store. The event will be the largest one yet since Covid-19 affected the city, although it remains significantly smaller than pre-pandemic levels. The Hong Kong Tourism Board said on Tuesday that the 2025 edition of the 'Sun Life Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races' would take place from June 7 to 8. Participants representing 190 teams from 12 countries would take part in 19 races, including local and mainland Chinese groups as well as those from the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia, the tourism board added. The games will also welcome participants from Qatar and Egypt for the first time. 'We have taken innovation to new heights this year by transforming the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races into an immersive day-and-night dragon boat carnival,' said Tourism Board Executive Director Dane Cheng Ting-yat. 'The event offers visitors and locals a blend of cultural activities and celebrations steeped in Hong Kong's east-meets-west heritage, enriching the city's potential for mega-event tourism.'
South China Morning Post
04-05-2025
- Business
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong ‘golden week' tourist hits and misses: nicer workers, e-payment poor
Some mainland Chinese tourists visiting Hong Kong during the Labour Day ' golden week ' holiday have expressed surprise at improvements in service attitudes but believe the city's e-payment system could be better. Advertisement They said waiters and waitresses were no longer rude while serving and spoke better Mandarin after notoriously impolite restaurant staff, shop workers and taxi drivers triggered a 'Let's go the Extra Mile' campaign by the Tourism Board to educate industry players last year. The city welcomed more than 682,000 mainland Chinese tourists on the first three days of the Labour Day golden week holiday between May 1 and 3. Arrival numbers on Friday set a post-pandemic single-day record. Tourist Edison Wu, 27, was among Friday's record 267,000 mainland arrivals and said he was happy to see a more welcoming attitude from the catering industry. 'The attitude of restaurant bosses and staff has been much better than before. They take our orders patiently, and they are not that annoyed when there are language barriers,' Wu, who is spending four days in the city with his family, said on Sunday. Advertisement 'But there are too many tourists … The overall experience is not that great, as many places have long queues. It is inconvenient to go around the city as streets and public transport are too crowded.'
