Andrew Sun

Mouthing Off | Hong Kong’s shift in fortunes, from Easter to the Rugby Sevens, shows why the city must appeal more to Western tourists

Easter was grim for Hong Kong bars and restaurants, as more left the city than entered, and mainland Chinese visitors didn’t spend as much as previously

A week later the Rugby Sevens lightened the mood as tourists spent on partying; it showed why Hong Kong must change tack to remain Asia’s World City

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Rugby fans in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai neighbourhood on the eve of the 2024 Rugby Sevens. After a grim Easter the week before, the sporting event provided relief for bars and restaurants, and highlighted why the city’s tourism strategy must change. Photo: May Tse

Andrew Sun

Published: 7:45am, 10 Apr 2024Updated: 10:34am, 10 Apr 2024

Hong Kong’s bars and restaurants appear to have had quite a reversal of fortunes over the past two weekends.

Over Easter, multiple media reports detailed the dire situation for the hospitality and luxury retail sectors, with a disproportionate number of people leaving compared to those coming in.

According to Immigration Department numbers, over half a million Hong Kong residents took off between March 29 and April 1, either overseas or to China to get more bang for their buck eating and shopping. Meanwhile, only about 200,000 inbound visitors arrived, primarily from mainland China.

The Post ran a story about restaurants closing early – during a holiday long weekend, no less – because of the lack of customers. Operators estimated they were likely to have suffered a 30 per cent drop in business compared to previous years.

Travellers wait to cross the border at the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge, which connects mainland China and Hong Kong, on the first day of the 2024 Easter holidays. Photo: Edmond So

As someone who stayed in town, I can attest to the streets being quieter than normal, in spite of a rash of arts happenings, including Art Basel and Art Central. To my astonishment, not only were many restaurants unoccupied, there were also empty seats on the MTR.