Hong Kong just hit a big milestone – over a million visitors from the Philippines this year! That’s a new annual record, beating the numbers from 2018. Looks like travelers from Southeast Asia are really helping the tourism industry bounce back.
Last Friday, the Tourism Board welcomed Filipino visitor Miguel Linao and his family as the millionth Filipino visitor of 2024. “It’s not our first time in Hong Kong, but I didn’t expect to be the millionth!” said Linao. “We’re here for my daughter’s gymnastics competition and to see the sights. We love the food and theme parks here.”
Overall, visitor arrivals to Hong Kong shot up 37% in the first 10 months of the year compared to 2023. Southeast Asian tourists made up 2.3 million of the 36.7 million total visitors – about 95% of pre-pandemic levels. Filipino tourists alone reached 920,000, recovering 127% from before Covid.
These Southeast Asian visitors tend to stay around 3.4 nights and spend about HK$7,100 (US$912) per person. They flock to the theme parks, Temple Street, Ladies’ Market, and the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront.
The Tourism Board is thrilled. “Hong Kong has become the top travel destination for Filipino travelers,” said executive director Dane Cheng Ting-yat. With 46 million arrivals projected for the full year, it’s shaping up to be a banner year for Hong Kong tourism.
