N環球 
Hong Kong September visitor arrivals hit 4.03 million, up 22%
The Tourism Board said September arrivals reached about 4.03 million (+22% YoY); first-nine-months arrivals totaled 40.7 million (+12%).
Why it matters
The Hong Kong Tourism Board announced Thursday that visitor arrivals in September reached about 4.03 million, up 22% year on year; arrivals in the first nine months of 2026 totaled about 40.7 million, up 12%, as the tourism recovery continued.
Full report
Mainland visitors in September numbered about 3.17 million (+29%), while non-mainland visitors reached about 861,000 (+3%), with long-haul markets up 20%.
The board attributed the growth to the Mid-Autumn Festival holiday, boosted by the Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance, the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival and the inaugural International Lantern Light Festival; a low base caused by bad weather in the same period last year also lifted the increase.
Looking ahead, the board will sustain momentum with events including Halloween month, the Wine & Dine Festival, WinterFest and the New Year countdown, though short-haul markets remain weighed down by flight capacity and fuel surcharges. The figures are preliminary HKTB data.
Background
Hong Kong's tourism has been recovering steadily since the pandemic, with mega events in 2026 lifting arrivals quarter by quarter. The board says it will keep using the mega-event economy to attract overnight visitors and raise per-capita spending.
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