24th December 2024 – (Hong Kong) This year, Hong Kong witnessed a significant surge in arrivals on 22nd and 23rd December, with more than 994,000 individuals entering the city, according to the Immigration Department. This marks a substantial increase from the approximately 697,000 arrivals recorded during the same period in 2023. The rise in numbers was primarily attributed to residents returning home, who accounted for nearly 50% of the total entries this year, totalling 489,000 through the checkpoints. This is a noticeable jump from 37% in 2023.
Despite the overall increase in arrivals, the number of tourists from mainland China saw a slight decrease, dropping from 240,000 in 2023 to 233,000 in 2024. The demographic composition of arrivals has shifted, highlighting a stronger preference among residents to return during this festive period.
In contrast, about 1.09 million people departed from Hong Kong around the same time, with residents comprising roughly 70% of this figure. The influx was predominantly through the six land checkpoints connected with Shenzhen, illustrating a significant traffic flow of nearly 300,000 more arrivals compared to the previous year.
