Passengers take a taxi at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal on Aug 9, 2023. (CALVIN NG / CHINA DAILY)

Hong Kong recorded about 3.6 million tourist arrivals in July, a 31 percent increase compared to the figure a month earlier, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board. 

Of the 3.6 million tourist arrivals in July, more than 2.97 million were from the Chinese mainland. Among the remaining 610,000, about half were short-haul travelers.

In the first seven months of this year, the city saw a cumulative 16.5 million tourist arrivals, with a daily average of 116,000.

Of the 3.6 million tourist arrivals in July, more than 2.97 million were from the Chinese mainland. Among the remaining 610,000, about half were short-haul travelers.

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Hong Kong’s tourism sector is rebounding steadily, with Southeast Asia showing the fastest recovery in the number of visitors, Dane Cheng, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board said on Friday. 

Cheng said the number of visitors from the Philippines and Thailand last month had rebounded to over 90 percent of the number in the same period in pre-pandemic times, followed by the Chinese mainland, with a recovery rate of approximately 70 percent.

About half of the total number of visitors stayed overnight, slightly higher than the pre-pandemic number, he said.

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As tourists’ travel and consuming modes have undergone changes since the pandemic, the board said it would invite different people to visit Hong Kong in the coming months to experience the city’s tourism charm, and hold flagship events to enhance its branding.