What is drawing tourists to Hong Kong? Koreans seek ‘old city vibes’, Filipinos eye Disneyland and Thais tour temples
- Tourism Board touts efforts to lure visitors through influencers in target market countries amid slower-than-expected return of mainland Chinese after pandemic
- Top regional visitors head to city for variety of reasons, with South Koreans often seeking mix of old and new, while family attractions a major draw for many Filipinos
South Korean Hannah Kim visited Hong Kong for three days this month with her boyfriend, and they made sure to stop at Gough Street in Central for the famous beef brisket noodles.
It was her second trip to the city this year after visiting in January for four days with a group of girlfriends.
“Hong Kong has this old city vibe, like New York City, but it’s much closer,” said the 28-year-old who works in her family’s business. “And the food is so good and diverse. We love to eat.”
She said South Koreans liked Hong Kong in the winter months, as the relatively mild weather let them escape the bitter cold at home.
“But in the summer, we can’t stand the heat and humidity,” she said.
Although mainland Chinese are the largest group of visitors to Hong Kong, accounting for four in five arrivals, they have returned at a slower pace than expected since the city reopened its borders fully in February last year.
Of the non-mainland sources, South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, the United States and Thailand emerged as the top five groups of visitors in January this year.
