At the beginning of the new year in 2026, the lights on both sides of Victoria Harbour in Hong Kong are shining brightly, and crowds are surging. Mr. Chen from Zhuhai has embarked on his first self driving trip to Hong Kong, and the feeling of "stepping on the gas to Hong Kong" has become tangible in daily life. This convenient experience is unprecedented, "he told reporters, planning to drive to Hong Kong again to explore more corners. During the just passed New Year holiday, the Hong Kong tourism market welcomed a "good start" with a surge of consumption. As of 21:00 on January 3rd, over 3.2 million people have entered and exited Hong Kong during the three-day New Year holiday, including over 1.63 million people. This flow of people is not only directly driven by various large-scale events, but also benefited from the positive effects of the central government's policy of favoring Hong Kong. Looking ahead to the whole year, the Hong Kong tourism market is taking advantage of the trend, constantly exploring emerging customer sources and upgrading experiences, polishing the "golden signboard" of the tourism industry. On New Year's Eve, the "New Year Countdown Event" hosted by the Hong Kong Tourism Board moved to Central for the first time, and the Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Tsim Sha Tsui can watch the live broadcast simultaneously. In addition, New Year's Eve activities in the West Kowloon Cultural District, Kai Tak Sports Park and other places have also been launched simultaneously. The festive pattern of multiple blooming spots has driven the consumption vitality of the surrounding areas. To coincide with the countdown event in Central, bars and restaurants in the area have launched multiple discounts. The person in charge of a bar in Lan Kwai Fong told reporters that the booking rate of nightclubs has reached 100% in the New Year, and the revenue has increased by about 50% year-on-year. In addition, the popularity of the "New Year's economy" has also spread to the hotel market. Chen Zongyi, Chief Operating Officer of Meilihua Group, stated that during the New Year period, the occupancy rates of the two hotels under the group reached 100%. He believes that the continuous vacation and New Year countdown events formed by mainland tourists' compensatory leave are the main driving forces. Consumer vitality continues to be released in traditional brand activities. The 59th Industrial and Commercial Fair, as an annual "New Year's Goods Festival" in Hong Kong, attracts a large number of citizens and tourists. Some exhibitors have stated that their booth has a daily foot traffic of 600 people and sales have increased by 20% to 30% year-on-year. Ms. Guo, a passenger from Guangzhou, prepared two suitcases for 'sweeping'. She said that she had just arrived at the exhibition site and spent about 1000 Hong Kong dollars to buy Chicken rolls and other specialties. There are many types of products at the trade fair, and I plan to take a look at small home appliances next. The lively atmosphere where you can buy and experience them is very attractive, "said Yang Shufen, Secretary General of the Hong Kong Tourism Industry Council. Hong Kong has high-quality natural scenery and complete tourism facilities, which continue to enhance the city's attractiveness. Driven by a series of central policies favoring Hong Kong, personnel exchanges in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Greater Bay Area have become increasingly close, forming a two-way interactive tourism consumption pattern. Hardware upgrades attract the landing of major events in Hong Kong, leveraging its comprehensive advantages in venue hardware, supporting facilities, and event hosting systems, and continuously consolidating its position as the "capital of major events". On the evening of December 31, 2025, the first New Year's Eve concert was held at Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong. Mainland singer Zhou Shen started singing here, and about 50000 seats in the main venue turned into a fluorescent sea in the darkness. The venue in Kai Tak is very beautiful, and the hardware facilities are also very professional. It was the first time I heard tens of thousands of people shouting my name indoors, and it felt particularly beautiful! "Zhou Shen said in an interview with reporters. Chen Zhiguo, the producer of Zhou Shen's New Year's Eve concert and the general manager of Times Cube Culture, stated that Hong Kong's mature event coordination system and advanced technology support from the new generation of venues provide comprehensive guarantees for performances, from safety control to stage design presentation. Ms. Wang, who came to Hong Kong specifically from Shenzhen to watch the concert, told reporters that in addition to tickets, she has spent over HKD 2000 on peripheral goods, catering, and transportation. This consumption pattern tailored for specific events is becoming a new driving force for the retail industry in Hong Kong. According to Huang Haoyun, the retail manager of Qide Sports Park Co., Ltd., the overall occupancy rate of Qide Retail Center is currently over 90%, with nearly 80 restaurants and about 30 brands extending their business hours after major events, allowing audiences to enjoy delicious food even after the concert. On December 31st, driven by the New Year's Eve concert and festive atmosphere, the daily visitor volume of the park exceeded 120000, marking a new peak in foot traffic since its opening. Recently, the first world-class performance venue under the Leisure and Cultural Services Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government, the East Kowloon Cultural Centre, dedicated to promoting the integration of art and technology, opened. The Chief Secretary for Administration of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, Chan Kwok ki, stated that with the opening of Kai Tak Sports Park and East Kowloon Cultural Centre, as well as the upcoming completion of the West Kowloon Performing Arts Centre and the establishment of cultural facilities in the northern metropolitan area in the future, it will promote the sustainable development of Hong Kong's cultural, artistic and creative industries. Taking multiple measures to draw a new blueprint for development before and after the holiday, Hong Kong's tourism industry continues to have good news: in the "2025 Global Top 100 Tourist Cities Index" released by a multinational consulting company, Hong Kong ranks second in the world in terms of international tourist arrivals; By 2025, the number of visitors to Hong Kong will reach 49.9 million, with mainland tourists accounting for 74% and overseas tourists accounting for 26%; The old Yau Ma Tei Police Station, natural scenery tours, and other new attractions and projects are constantly being updated... "The 2026 grand event remains the main focus. ”The Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Rosamund Law, stated that the large number of participants and high economic benefits of major events can create unique urban charm, which is very beneficial for the development of Hong Kong. Chen Zhiguo stated that Hong Kong's unique advantage lies in its connection with the mainland, Asia, and broader international markets. He hopes that the integration of "events+tourism" can continuously showcase Hong Kong's international character and the vitality of the Greater Bay Area. Hong Kong Legislative Council member Guo Lingli stated that the industry should further implement the concept of "cultural and tourism integration", optimize barrier free facilities, and encourage special needs groups to travel with confidence. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government announced the establishment of the "Development of Tourism Hotspots Working Group" in 2024, actively promoting the implementation of the concept of "tourism everywhere". In the first phase, 9 tourism hotspot projects have been launched. Yang Shufen stated that there are three brands participating in the first phase of "industrial brand tourism" in the hot projects. The current tourist structure is undergoing changes, and the scale of overseas markets continues to expand. The industry needs to strengthen cross-border cooperation, further enrich tourism experiences, and promote Hong Kong to move towards a more popular tourist city