Hong Kong recorded almost 300,000 more arrivals in the two days before Christmas Eve compared with last year, largely driven by residents returning home via the six land checkpoints connected with Shenzhen.
More than 994,000 entered the city on December 22 and 23 this year, up from about 697,000 in 2023, according to the Immigration Department.
About 50 per cent, or 489,000 of the arrivals this year, were Hong Kong residents returning to the city via the checkpoints. In 2023, this group only accounted for 37 per cent, or 259,000 of the total.
Mainland tourists, meanwhile, recorded a slight decline from 240,000 to 233,000 during December 22 and 23 compared with the same period last year.
About 1.09 million left the city, of which 70 per cent are Hong Kong residents, about 20,000 less than the 1.11 million last year.
Crowds of tourists and locals grew in the evening of Christmas Eve at Instagrammable Christmas hotspots in the evening, while police imposed special traffic arrangements in areas such as Lan Kwai Fong and Tsim Sha Tsui.
