Visitors to Hong Kong from Mainland China for the Golden Week vacation do not appear to have been deterred from visiting as a result of the political protests in the former British colony.
Hong Kong remained the most popular destination outside of the Mainland during the weeklong holiday in early October that celebrates China’s founding, according to Chinese travel website Qunar.com. The company reported a 67% increase in Hong Kong-bound flight bookings since last year’s Golden Week. Hong Kong beat out Taipei, Seoul, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur as the top spot in the region, the Wall Street Journal reported.
It is estimated that about 475 million Chinese traveled during the holiday this year, an 11% increase from the same period last year, according to the administration. Tourism revenue was $40 billion, up nearly 16% year-over-year, the report said.
Although tourists still went to Hong Kong, they weren’t spending as much. The Hong Kong Retail Management Association, a trade group for the city’s retailers, said earlier this week that sales declines ranged from 15% to 50% for its members during the first five days of the holiday, with jewelry, watch, fashion and catering businesses experiencing the steepest drops compared with a year earlier.