In the first half of 2024, Hong Kong had 181000 tourists from India, a startling 155% year-over-year rise. The city will host massive events all year long, including the highly anticipated New Year’s Eve celebration, Taste Around Town, Hong Kong Winterfest, and Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival. Countdown Fireworks among other things The successful completion of the Hong Kong Tourism Board’s annual three-city travel mission to India, which visited Mumbai, Chennai, and New Delhi from August 20 to August 23, is something that the HKTB is thrilled to report.
A vibrant 36-seller delegation of important Hong Kong Trade Partners, including well-known amusement parks, cruise lines, hotels, airlines, and destination management corporations (DMCs), participated in this year’s expedition. The group successfully interacted with more than 500 Indian trading partners, including representatives from three major cities’ satellite marketplaces. The goal draws attention to the notable increase in traveler traffic from the Indian subcontinent to Hong Kong, a location well-known for its direct and visa-free flying alternatives.
The Travel Mission is in line with the notable increase of Indian tourists visiting Hong Kong. Hong Kong had 21 million tourists between January and June of this year, with 181,000 of them coming from India alone—a stunning 155% year-over-year rise. The age groups of 26–35 (24%) and 36–45 (29%) comprise the majority of Indian visitors. Remarkably, 31% of Indian tourists went abroad for leisure, and more than 15% came from tier 2 cities, with the remaining visitors coming mostly from tier 1 cities.
The top 5 attractions and areas of interest for Indian visitors were found to be Hong Kong Disneyland, Temple Street/Ladies’ Market, Ocean Park, The Peak, and Tsim Sha Tsui. Ngong Ping 360 and Sky100 Hong Kong Observation Deck were next in line. Approximately 386, 681 Indians and 65.1 million foreign visitors came to Hong Kong in 2018. Through a number of initiatives, including the Summer Chill Hong Kong and Hong Kong Incentive Playbook, as well as year-round Mega Events like the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival, Taste Around Town, Hong Kong Winterfest, and the Hong Kong New Year Countdown, Hong Kong is attempting to promote year-round tourism.
The “Summer Triple Rewards” offer is part of the new “Summer Chill Hong Kong” marketing. All overnight visitors to Hong Kong will get 500,000 sets of prizes throughout the three-month campaign, which runs from July to September. The incentives will include discounts on eating, shopping, transit, and sightseeing that add up to more than HK USD 100 million. “At Hong Kong Tourism, we are dedicated to enhancing the travel experience for Indian tourists through a variety of engaging programs and events,” said Puneet Kumar, Director, South Asia & Middle East, Hong Kong Tourism Board.
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Our programs, such as “Hong Kong Incentive Playbook” and “Summer Chill Hong Kong,” are designed to provide customized experiences and exciting possibilities all year round. Furthermore, our annual big events guarantee that our Indian visitors will always find something fascinating and unique to do in the city. The average duration of stay, which was 4.2 nights, and the average per capita expenditure, which was HK USD 9,100 per person, both showed significant improvements.
The recent increase in visitors from important Indian cities indicates that travelers are becoming more interested in the unique experiences Hong Kong has to offer.” Furthermore, Hong Kong’s thriving MICE industry is still strong, accounting for almost 700,000 of the city’s overnight visitors in the first half of the year. The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has introduced a new incentive program this year called “Hong Kong Incentive Playbook, Up the Game for Your Team” as part of its ongoing efforts to increase Hong Kong’s attractiveness to MICE travelers.
This program offers a broad selection of more than 100 genuine, creative group experiences aimed at motivating and inspiring business teams. Five captivating themes—”Arts & Culture,” “Wellness & Nature,” “Neighbourhoods,” “Nightlife & Parties,” and “Hong Kong Signatures”—are used to organize the encounters. With a combination of originality and enjoyment, these themes seek to position Hong Kong as the top incentive travel destination, enhancing team morale and productivity.
Regarding the Hong Kong Tourist Board The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), an organization funded by the government, is in charge of promoting and marketing Hong Kong as a tourism destination around the globe and improving the experience of guests once they arrive. Among them are submitting suggestions on the scope and quality of tourist amenities to the government and other relevant authorities. The goals of the HKTB are to enhance the social and economic benefits that tourism brings to the local community and to strengthen Hong Kong’s standing as a distinctive, top-tier, and highly sought-after travel destination.