How melding Hong Kong’s traditions and youthful energy can lift tourism

Even as geopolitical tensions rise, cities across Asia are competing for global travellers and Hong Kong must lean into what makes it truly irreplaceable. Beyond relying on the city’s signature skyline and retail scene to draw visitors, we need a unique blending of grass-roots traditions and youthful creative energy to further bolster the tourism sector.

This year’s Labour Day “golden week” could be an indication that Hong Kong is heading in the right direction. According to the Immigration Department, the city welcomed nearly 1.1 million visitors during the five-day break, a 22 per cent increase from the same period in 2024. Among these, close to 920,000 were from mainland China, up 21 per cent year on year.

The reason behind this surge extends beyond shopping or sightseeing – it was a calendar brimming with culturally rich and authentically Hong Kong experiences. Among them, the Cheung Chau Bun Festival stood out as a crowd favourite. Dating back more than a century, the festival features towering bun structures, traditional parades and rituals, all preserved and driven by the local community. It is living cultural heritage, not just a showpiece for tourists.

At the same time, Hong Kong has upped its game in the contemporary events scene. In March, the city hosted ComplexCon, a global celebration of music, fashion, street art and youth culture. The three-day event attracted 35,000 visitors, reinforcing Hong Kong’s place as a dynamic, cosmopolitan destination which can hit the right notes with younger travellers.

This synergy between the old and the new is something unique to Hong Kong. While cities such as Bangkok, Seoul and Tokyo have carved out identities around nightlife, K-pop or anime, Hong Kong’s appeal is in its ability to seamlessly fuse East and West, tradition and modernity.

However, while the city saw encouraging visitor numbers during golden week, the economic impact was uneven. According to the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, many retailers reported challenges in sustaining momentum.

  

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