The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) has released a new study titled “Travel & Tourism in Hong Kong SAR, China: Recovery, Gaps, and the Road Ahead”. The analysis suggests that Hong Kong can regain its status as a top international destination by directing investment toward key source markets and expanding its appeal to higher‑value visitor segments.
Key findings from the report include:
- In 2025, 76 % of inbound arrivals originated from Mainland China, while the remaining 24 % came from other global markets.
- Total visitor arrivals in 2025 reached an estimated 50.3 million, representing a 22.9 % decline from the 2018 peak of 65.3 million.
- Business‑travel spend was 16.8 % lower than in 2018, reflecting the combined impact of the 2019 civil unrest and the COVID‑19 pandemic.
- The travel and tourism sector contributed roughly US$56.4 billion to Hong Kong’s GDP in 2025 (13.6 % of total GDP) and supported about 587 000 jobs.
Despite these challenges, the sector has recovered to 98.5 % of its 2018 activity level, driven largely by a 15.5 % increase in domestic travel. International visitor spending, however, remained 15 % below 2018 levels, whereas regional competitors such as Singapore and Macao are projected to have surpassed their pre‑pandemic performance.
The WTTC outlines five strategic actions for Hong Kong:
- Revitalize business travel: Position the city as a premier venue for global meetings and conferences by offering targeted incentives and simplifying entry procedures.
- Rebuild long‑haul demand: Leverage restored air connectivity and strengthen partnerships with airlines to attract travellers from key Western markets (US, UK, Europe).
- Refresh the tourism offering: Promote a diversified experience that highlights world‑class cuisine, heritage sites, and signature festivals, making retail a complementary attraction.
- Increase visitor value and length of stay: Counter the trend of shorter trips (average 3.1 nights in 2025) by creating curated itineraries and incentives for exploring multiple neighbourhoods.
- Strengthen public‑private collaboration: Align government bodies, the Hong Kong Tourism Board, and private stakeholders around a unified marketing and investment strategy.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO of WTTC, emphasized that Hong Kong’s world‑class infrastructure and unique cultural blend position it to lead the post‑recovery tourism landscape, provided that public and private sectors work together on a clear roadmap.
The Hong Kong government has earmarked HK$1.6 billion for tourism initiatives in 2026‑27, focusing on flagship events, expanded promotion in non‑Guangdong mainland cities, emerging ASEAN and Middle‑East markets, cruise tourism, and MICE growth.
Infrastructure milestones support this outlook: in 2025 Hong Kong International Airport recorded the fastest growth in seat capacity worldwide, and the Hong Kong‑Taipei route became the busiest cross‑border airline corridor.
Source: wttc.org
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