Immigration Flourishes as Hong Kong Welcomes a Surge in Mainland Visitors

Immigration Surge in Hong Kong

Hong Kong welcomed nearly 1 million mainland Chinese visitors in the first five days of the National Day golden week break, a 35% increase from the same period last year, according to local immigration authorities. Director of Immigration Benson Kwok Joon-fung estimated that by the end of 2024, the city would record 300 million arrival and departure trips, marking a return to pre-pandemic levels.

Visitor Statistics

The mainland's annual golden week holiday runs from October 1 to 7. Kwok noted that 980,000 mainland visitors entered Hong Kong between Tuesday and Saturday, up 35% from last year. On National Day October 1, over 220,000 travellers came to the city, reflecting a 30% rise year on year.

Experiences at Border Checkpoints

• Border checkpoints were bustling, with long queues reported in numerous locations.
• Tourism sector lawmaker Perry Yiu Pak-leung mentioned most hotels recorded 90% occupancy rates in the first four days of the holiday.
• Kwok anticipated another spike in arrivals during the Christmas holiday.

Operational Efficiency

Border crossing remained smooth despite the high number of visitors, with 19 new self-service clearance channels installed at the West Kowloon rail checkpoint. Kwok indicated that over 23,503 people had been denied entry in the past nine months, a figure consistent with previous years and approximately 85% of cases related to suspicious entry purposes.