Tourist numbers rise but shoppers report cautious purchasing at Mid-Autumn Festival

Consumers at the Mid-Autumn festival night markets showed weak purchasing desire, despite increased visitor numbers reported by the government during the double-festival period.

Sheen Zhang, a local who visited the Mid-Autumn Lantern Carnival in Victoria Park with her husband, said they are here to experience the festival’s vibe instead of purchasing. She prefers more budget-friendly options on Taobao, an online shopping platform, when considering shopping.

Vinchi Cheung, a retail seller at LIFE MART Mid-Autumn Festival Market in Lai Chi Kok, found that consumers are more hesitant and less eager to spend than in previous years, as most of their purchases over the festival were limited to essential and rational expenditures.

“Sales during the Lunar (Chinese) New Year were better, as customers were less price-conscious and more willing to buy,” Cheung added.

This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival coincided with the Mainland’s 8-day Golden Week holiday. While mainland tourists enjoyed extended vacation time, Hong Kong residents had only two extra public holidays, October 1 and the day after the Mid-Autumn Festival. 

Paul Chan Mo-po, the Financial Secretary of this city, shared on his blog that 877,000 mainland tourists visited Hong Kong in the first four days of Golden Week, a 7% increase over the same period last year. This influx led to a surge in border crossings in early October, surpassing those of other months.

Driven by Golden Week, the cumulative number of mainland border crossings in the first six days of October was significantly higher than the cumulative mainland border crossings in the first six days of other months.

This cautious consumer behaviour is part of a broader shift in visitor spending patterns that has emerged over the past few years. Compared to 2023, daily per capita spending by inbound tourists in 2024 has declined, with many prioritising festive experiences, such as night activities, over shopping. 

According to the Census and Statistics Department, daily per capita spending by inbound tourists in 2024 has decreased compared to 2023.

Dai Xianchi, Associate Professor in the Department of Marketing at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, noted that compared to previous consumption habits, mainland visitors have become “more rational” in their spending and tend to make more diversified purchasing choices.

Besides, driven by social media platforms such as Rednote, Mainland consumers are increasingly interested in sightseeing beyond Hong Kong’s urban areas and participating in other outdoor activities within the city.

Dai suggested Hong Kong retailers focus on improving service quality, developing products and services with local characteristics to gain differentiated advantages.

“If Hong Kong’s products are identical to those available in consumers’ home markets, shoppers will have little incentive to purchase them,” he said.