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Cannix Yau

Many Hong Kong restaurants enjoyed a bump in business by as much as 15 per cent on Tuesday driven by National Day celebratory offers including discounts of up to 30 per cent at more than 3,600 outlets.
Michael Leung Chun-wah, chairman of the Association for Hong Kong Catering Services Management, said the industry had enjoyed a 10 to 15 per cent increase in business.
“Restaurants’ promotional offers have made an impact,” he said. “The flow of patrons increased especially at housing estates, while restaurants’ overall business has improved. We are all happy with the performance [on Tuesday].”
Leung noted that the outflow of locals going north on Tuesday would decline while the arrival of more than 1,000 mainland Chinese tour groups over the next few days would help boost restaurants’ business.
Simon Wong Ka-wo, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, said industry revenue would be close to HK$300 million (US$38.6 million) on Tuesday, the same as last year, while the recent surge in local stock prices had contributed to optimism.
“Sentiment has improved along with so many celebratory events and fireworks. Everyone feels happy and willing to loosen their purse strings,” he said.
The benchmark Hang Seng Index rose by 2.4 per cent on Monday to close at 21,133.68, taking the gains to 18 per cent for September, the best month since November 2022.

Sun Hung Kai Properties also reported a yearly increase of 5 per cent in footfall traffic at its 15 major shopping centres, including APM, Tai Po Super City, Yuen Long Plaza and Sheung Shui Metropolis.
“There is still room for growth in the next six days. It is estimated that the flow of people and turnover during the seven-day ‘golden week’ will increase by 5 per cent to 10 per cent year on year,” it said.
By 9pm, 214,097 mainland visitors had arrived in the city, while 187,824 Hong Kong residents had departed.
Last year, 177,770 mainland visitors came to Hong Kong on October 1, while at least 217,944 Hongkongers headed across the border and to Macau on the public holiday.
Hong Kong residents could enjoy discounts of up to 30 per cent at more than 3,600 restaurants, cafes, supermarkets and convenience stores as part of celebrations for National Day on Tuesday.
Food and catering businesses were offering an array of deals, such as cheaper groceries at supermarkets, a 30 per cent discount on egg tarts, 25 per cent off vegetarian shark fin soup, and one-for-one buffet lunches or dinners at several hotels.
Hong Kong’s year-on-year retail sales have been in contraction for months amid a downturn in stock and property markets and a growing trend of residents crossing over to the mainland to shop and dine on weekends.
In the afternoon, business was picking up in party district Wan Chai, with some bars already packed with drinkers.
“Last night was quite OK,” said Bella Darling, manager at the Centrico bar.
“We always hope for good business during a public holiday, but obviously it’s not as good as before [the pandemic].”
She expected crowds to reach peak levels at around 10pm.

Darling said the bar was not offering any National Day discounts, but its happy hour from 2pm to 9pm was always popular and sold bottled beers and house spirits for HK$35 each.
Still, some operators were disappointed.
Gary Chan, owner of restaurant Too Good in Causeway Bay, described his business as “suffering” on the public holiday.
“Things have been really unstable since borders reopened,” he said.
“At first, things were still fine, but once all the newspapers started writing about how fun it was to spend on the mainland, things went downhill.”
Ben Yeung Chi-keung, 45, owner of Sakanaichi Hotpot in Tsim Sha Tsui, said that while he had only had one booking for dinner, there had been tourist walk-ins during lunch.
“This year by far is the worst in terms of dinner bookings, but I’m surprised to see quite a lot of walk-in tourists,” he said.
He said a Japanese restaurant and a Shanghainese eatery near his establishment had closed in the past two months, adding he has been able to survive by transforming from just providing hotpot to also offering teppanyaki and other cuisine.
KC Cheung, who runs a pharmacy on Lockhart Road in Causeway Bay, said he was disappointed with the holiday business so far.
“You can see for yourself,” he said, gesturing to his empty shop. “I don’t dare hope for it to be any different over the next few days – it’s better to keep expectations low.”
He said the crowds that used to fill shops during holidays, especially with mainland tourists, were no longer guaranteed.
Hong Kong is hosting more than 400 events to celebrate National Day this year, the most on record for the city.
Officials had said the events aim to create a “lively atmosphere” to foster patriotism and deepen young Hongkongers’ understanding of the country’s development and achievements.


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Hong Kong marks National Day with fireworks, while city leader points to ‘critical period of economic transformation’

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Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s catering industry enjoyed a 10 to 15 per cent increase in business on Tuesday, an industry leader said. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Simon Wong, president of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades. Photo: Jonathan Wong

Tourists at Canton Road in Tsim Sha Tsui. Photo: Jelly Tse

High hopes for National Day despite Hong Kong restaurants feeling pinch at Mid-Autumn Festival

Tai Hang Fire Dragon Dance. The city only received 440,800 visitors between Sunday and Tuesday. Photo: Elson Li

Hundreds gathering for the drone show in Wan Chai. Photo: Eugene Lee

Some eateries are only half full during lunch hours on Wednesday. Photo: May Tse

Hongkongers head to Shenzhen via Lo Wu station on the National Day holiday. Photo: Eugene Lee

Mainland travellers take the MTR at Lo Wu station during the National Day holiday. Photo: Eugene Lee

News

Hong Kong

Special occasion marked by array of offers including discounts of up to 30 per cent at over 3,600 outlets


Special occasion marked by array of offers including discounts of up to 30 per cent at over 3,600 outlets.
