Nearly twice as many Chinese mainland spectators flocked to Hong Kong’s racecourses on New Year’s Day as on Jan 1 last year, enthused by the city’s extra efforts to promote horse racing tourism.

The events held at Sha Tin and Happy Valley racecourses on Wednesday attracted 4,120 visitors from the mainland — compared to 2,500 the previous year — contributing to a total attendance of over 42,000, according to the Hong Kong Jockey Club.

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Total betting turnover for the day hit HK$1.64 billion ($211 million), compared with HK$1.65 billion recorded on New Year’s Day 2024.

Promoting horse racing is part of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government’s broader efforts to enhance its tourism appeal.

Amber Wu, a mainland visitor who went horse racing last autumn, described the event as an excellent way to relax and experience Hong Kong's unique culture. “You can enjoy a beer and some food while immersing yourselves in the thrilling atmosphere,” she said. “I’d love to bring my friends to visit again.”

Former Secretary for Culture, Sports, and Tourism Kevin Yeung said in November that the government aims to position Hong Kong as a premier destination for horse racing tourism, striving to establish the city as the finest in the Asia-Pacific region.

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To achieve this, Hong Kong plans to further promote horse racing tourism, with a focus on major international races and themed local events, Yeung said. “For example, the HKTB will encourage the trade to include horse racing experiences in the itineraries for cruise and meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions tourism visitors,” he told the Legislative Council in a written reply.

For the New Year’s Day races, the club boosted the prize pool — the Triple Trio jackpot was boosted to HK$10 million using funds from the reserve, while the Six Win Bonus jackpot was topped up to HK$3.8 million — and also organized a series of entertainment and gourmet experiences. At the public betting hall, lobster bisque and Korean-style dumplings and a variety of other international delicacies were served.

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Statistics from the Immigration Department showed that the border logged approximately 156,000 inbound travelers on New Year’s Eve, of which mainland visitors accounted for about 120,000, making up 77 percent of the total.

Still, Hong Kong Disneyland and Ocean Park remained the top attractions for visitors through 2024, according to travel booking platform Trip.com. These were followed by Victoria Peak, the Hong Kong Observation Wheel and the Hong Kong Palace Museum.