Hong Kong Sets New Milestones As 2.2 Million Travelers Embark On Unforgettable Christmas Adventures

Hong Kong experienced a significant rise in outbound travel over the Christmas holidays, with over 2.2 million residents leaving the city between December 22 and 26. Many locals opted to remain in the city to avoid high travel costs during the peak season.

On Wednesday, the Immigration Department reported over 552,000 residents departing and around 113,000 visitor arrivals by 9 p.m., with more than 60% of visitors coming from mainland China. This added to the 660,636 arrivals from the mainland recorded between Saturday and Tuesday.

By Wednesday, total resident departures since Saturday exceeded 2.2 million.

In comparison, the same period last year saw 1.9 million residents leaving the city, alongside 679,000 visitor arrivals—approximately 75% of whom were from mainland China.

Immigration officials previously forecast over 13 million passenger movements throughout the Christmas and New Year season, with departures through land border crossings peaking at around 595,000 on Christmas Day.

Some residents mentioned they stayed home for Christmas primarily to avoid the high costs of peak travel, noting that the city could further enhance its appeal to both tourists and locals.

Young families gathered at the West Kowloon Cultural District on Christmas Day, participating in activities like the Big Bounce Hong Kong, the world’s largest touring inflatable event.

The four restaurants along the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade were bustling with diners, many waiting for a chance to grab a table.

Stephanie Lee, a 30-year-old walking her dog along the promenade, shared that she chose to stay in the city due to the high travel costs during the holiday season. She planned to travel to Japan after the two-day public holiday and return before the New Year.

However, Lee expressed that the city had room for improvement in boosting its appeal, noting that many of Hong Kong’s holiday attractions had remained largely unchanged over the years.

Norman Tse, a banker, chose to travel after the peak season and spent quality time with his two-year-old son in the area.

Semi-retired Neal Chong visited Shenzhen two days before Christmas for a holiday dinner, where he observed an increase in prices.

In his late 50s, Chong remarked that the atmosphere in Hong Kong felt more cheerful this year.

Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and his wife hosted families from the Nam Cheong community living room at a Christmas party at Government House on Wednesday.

The government-led initiative offers underprivileged families living in subdivided homes access to shared spaces for activities like studying, cooking, and bathing. Currently, there are four such facilities located in Sham Shui Po, To Kwa Wan, Hung Hom, and Nam Cheong.

During the celebration, Lee and his wife engaged the families in making Christmas wreaths, drawing, and writing cards to decorate the Christmas tree at the official residence.

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