The number of inbound visitors to Hong Kong on New Year’s Eve rose by 25 per cent from 2024, despite the city forgoing its traditional fireworks display in light of the deadly Tai Po fire, while departures by residents increased by nearly 21 per cent.
Immigration Department figures compiled by the Post on Thursday showed Hong Kong welcomed 195,798 visitors from mainland China and overseas on December 31, a substantial rise from the 156,366 recorded on the same day in 2024.
Among them, 148,435 were from the mainland, representing a 24 per cent year-on-year increase. The number of visitors from elsewhere stood at 47,363, a rise of about 29 per cent.
Earlier predictions suggested the number of mainland tourists coming to Hong Kong would rise due to the New Year holiday, running from Thursday to Saturday, across the border.
Hong Kong’s Immigration Department logged 363,730 outbound trips by Hongkongers on New Year’s Eve, a nearly 21 per cent increase compared with 301,109 in 2024.
The city also recorded a net inflow of about 33,000 on Wednesday, compared with 69,000 recorded for the previous New Year’s Eve.
