The Year of the Dragon got off to a vibrant start in Sydney this week as the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) welcomed the year with a cocktail function for travel industry and travel media partners.
The venue was the Gardens by Lotus, in the Chinese Garden of Friendship in Sydney’s Chinatown precinct.
Tourism to Hong Kong is gaining pace swiftly and 2024 has a full event calendar, confirmed Karen Macmillan, HKTB Director, Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific.
Preliminary figures for visitation from Australia to Hong Kong in January 2024 show the month is the best January since 2019.
2024 is shaping up to be better still. Macmillan shared her optimism for the future, stating, “Just like the Year of the Dragon, 2024 will be a year of growth and innovation for the Hong Kong Tourism Board. Our preliminary visitor numbers for January are the highest we have seen since reopening.” 
HKTB Statistics for the full year 2023 show visitation to Hong Kong from Australia increased by a staggering 1899% (admittedly from a low base) over the previous calendar year to reach 240,705 arrivals. A comparison of December 2023 Aussie arrivals with the corresponding month a year earlier show an increase of 653.5% to reach 29,379 arrivals in December 2023.
During the first four days of the Chinese New Year holiday this week (10 – 13 February 2024), Hong Kong welcomed about 750,000 visitors, of which approximately 650,000 were from Mainland China, exceeding the Mainland arrivals of 640,000 in the same period in 2018.
Provisional figures indicate Hong Kong attracted 3.83 million visitors in January 2024, equivalent to 72% of the same month in 2018.
As well as Lunar New Year festivities such as International Chinese New Year Night Parade, the 2024 Lunar New Year Fireworks Display, and the Chinese New Year Raceday, Hong Kong hosts some of the region’s biggest and most thrilling annual sporting, lifestyle and entertainments events. These include the Hong Kong Sevens, the marathon, dragon boat races and swimming competitions in the harbour.
Hong Kong Disneyland is another big attraction.
In the first half of this month (February 2024) from 1 to 13 February, Hong Kong welcomed some 2 million visitor arrivals, a daily average about 83% of the whole-month average in February 2018, maintaining the city’s recovery momentum.
Recent travellers to Hong Kong advise visitors to allow themselves a few days – there is so much to see in the city and outside it.
In the photo at top, Karen Macmillan, HKTB Director, Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific, is shown with Kylie Kay, managing director of HKTB’s brand partner, Linkd Tourism.
Written by Peter Needham
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