The Golden Luster of the Year of the Horse: Tourist Influx in Hong Kong

Hong Kong, Falgun 4: On Sunday, the first day of the Chinese New Year (Spring Festival), Hong Kong’s tourist sites and commercial complexes were bustling, filled to the brim with a crowd of visitors. The number of tourists arriving in Hong Kong on the first day of the nine-day Spring Festival holiday, which has begun in Mainland China, has reached a new high.

According to data from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, over 377,000 visitors had entered Hong Kong by 9 p.m. Tourists from Mainland China have been equally attracted to Hong Kong’s shopping centers, where many are purchasing gold jewelry and decorative items engraved with horse motifs to commemorate the Year of the Horse. According to the Chinese zodiac, the Year of the Horse began on February 17, and gold is considered a symbol of good fortune and prosperity.

HKSAR Government Financial Secretary Paul Chan estimated in his blog post on Sunday that the number of tourists arriving from the mainland during the holiday period could reach 1.43 million. This represents a 6 percent increase in the average daily number of visitors compared to the previous year. Chan stated, “The various Chinese New Year celebrations in the HKSAR – including float parades, fireworks displays, horse races, and soccer games – are expected to immerse visitors from around the world in the grandeur of the festival.”

According to the latest data from the Hong Kong government, the total number of visitors to Hong Kong from January 1 to February 13 increased by 9.6 percent compared to the same period last year, with the number of foreign visitors surging by 16.4 percent. This growth highlights the resurgence of Hong Kong’s tourism sector and the global appeal of the Chinese New Year.

Hong Kong’s main attractions include the nighttime float parade, the fireworks display at Victoria Harbour, and traditional horse racing competitions. In particular, to mark the Year of the Horse, the Hong Kong Jockey Club has organized special horse racing events, attended by thousands of spectators.

Commercial centers are specially decorated for the Chinese New Year, where tourists can be seen shopping for traditional attire and jewelry in red and golden colors to welcome the Year of the Horse. Restaurants and hotels are also fully booked, signaling a revival of the tourism sector.

According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, the average hotel occupancy rate during this year’s Spring Festival holiday has been above 90 percent, the highest level since the COVID-19 pandemic. This shows that Hong Kong’s tourism industry has fully recovered and that the Chinese New Year festival has successfully attracted global tourists.

This exuberance of the Chinese New Year and the influx of tourists seen in Hong Kong also reflect China’s economic resurgence and the growing enthusiasm of its people for travel.