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Why do mainland Chinese tourists no longer find Hong Kong cool? Luxury goods lose appeal and only way to win them back may be unique experiences
- Visitors no longer crossing border simply to shop in same numbers as before, with some choosing instead to travel closer to home
- Industry experts say city must diversify its offerings by promoting neighbourhood charms and outdoor attractions, while giving tourists more options for digital payment
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Mainland Chinese businesswoman Huang Ying made her first trip to Hong Kong in three years over the Easter holidays, hoping to find a bargain on luxury cosmetics in the Kowloon shopping district of Mong Kok.
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But the 34-year-old from Shandong province was dismayed to find that the items she liked cost 20 to 30 per cent more than in Japan or South Korea where they were made.
“Even though Hong Kong is closer, it has become less and less worth the trip,” she said.
She ended up buying popular over-the-counter medications such as White Flower Oil and Po Chai Pills, saying mainlanders trusted the city’s pharmacies.
Mainlanders made up almost four in five of the 315,276 visitors over the four-day Easter holiday, the city’s first major break since the last remaining Covid-19 pandemic restrictions were lifted in February.
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They also made up four-fifths of the 2.4 million visitors last month, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board.
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