Hong Kong is emerging as a top choice for Indian travelers, aiming to double its 2023 visitor numbers. The city's Tourism Board plans diverse festivals and events to attract tourists. Notably, Indian visitors are significant spenders, with an average of HKD 9,139 per person. The city also offers visa-free entry and easy travel access. With a focus on Gen Z and Millennials, Hong Kong promotes itself as the event capital of Asia, encouraging repeat visits and targeting leisure and business travelers alike, especially from India.
From the vibrant streets of Singapore to the enchanting landscapes of Oman and the bustling markets of Thailand, countries worldwide are gearing up to welcome Indian travelers with open arms, and the latest addition to this list is Hong Kong. The special administrative region of China is on a mission to double the number of Indian visitors this year by rolling out an array of festivals and events to entice them.
A senior official from the Hong Kong Tourism Board expressed their optimism, stating that the country, having welcomed 2.8 lakh Indian travelers in 2023, aims to double that figure by the end of 2024. Puneet Kumar, Director for South Asia and the Middle East at the Hong Kong Tourism Board, emphasized, "Our goal is to double this figure [2.8 lakh visitors] this year. We have an array of festivals and events planned to enhance tourism. By the end of the first half of 2024, Hong Kong welcomed 181,000 visitors from India, which is 89% of pre-Covid levels."
Buoyed by this positive trend, the tourism board is hopeful to surpass the pre-Covid arrival figures from 2018, Kumar added. He noted that 2018 was chosen as a benchmark year due to the decline in tourism in 2019 attributed to protests over a proposed amendment to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, which led to disruptions in travel.
Hong Kong is being positioned as a year-round destination with a rich tapestry of major events and festivals, Kumar highlighted. He also pointed out the convenience of travel, underscoring that Hong Kong boasts excellent connectivity to major Indian cities and provides visa-free entry for Indian travelers, who only need to complete a brief pre-arrival registration online, a process that takes about 10 minutes.
In 2018, around 400,000 Indian tourists and a total of 33 million international visitors explored the special administrative region. The city witnessed 34 million international visitors in 2023, and as of now, 21 million travelers have already graced Hong Kong with their presence this year.
Indian travelers are noted for being among the top spenders in Hong Kong, with an average expenditure of HKD 9,139 (₹1 lakh) per person. Furthermore, the average length of stay for Indian visitors has increased from three days in 2018 to 4.5 days in 2024.
Appealing primarily to Gen Z and Millennials, the tourism board is keen on cultivating frequent and repeated visits. "We are promoting Hong Kong as the event capital of Asia, catering to an age group highly interested in concerts and festivals, thus encouraging regular visits to Hong Kong," Kumar remarked.
The board is strategically targeting both leisure and business segments, with Hong Kong eyeing families seeking cruise holidays and positioning India as a vital market for incentive group travel as well.
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