Nearly 222,000 mainland Chinese visitors arrived in Hong Kong on the first day of the five-day Labour Day “golden week” holiday, a 22 per cent increase from last year.
Figures published by the Immigration Department on Friday showed that 264,504 visitors entered the city the day before, up 27 per cent from last year’s 208,806. The data also found that 221,758 of them were from the mainland.
By comparison, 296,273 Hongkongers travelled out of the city on Thursday, 52 per cent more than the previous Labour Day’s 195,355.
The West Kowloon high-speed rail terminus was the most popular entry point into Hong Kong, with 25 per cent of inbound mainland travellers, numbering 54,770, opting to use it.
The Labour Day golden week holiday runs from May 1 to 5 on the mainland, with some tourists arriving from across the border for day trips, and others planning to stay longer for shopping and dining.
Labour Day is also a public holiday in Hong Kong. City residents can enjoy a five-day break by taking Friday off and combining it with the weekend and Buddha’s Birthday on Monday, which is another public holiday.
