Retailers and hoteliers in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region saw gold as a staggering 1.29 million visitors from the Chinese mainland flocked to the city for the the eight-day National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays, with crowds drawn to iconic tourist hotspots, as well as cultural attractions.

This year’s “golden week”, which kicked off on Oct 1 and wrapped on Wednesday, recorded close to 1.3 million inbound trips by mainland tourists -- a 6.3-percent year-on-year spike – according to the SAR’s Immigration Department.

Lawmaker Yiu Pak-leung, who represents the tourism sector, said while the number of arrivals fell short of a projected 1.5 million, the combined National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival break created a red-hot market climate, with hotel occupancy rates and retail revenues soaring.

According to the Hong Kong Hotels Association, hotel occupancy rates during the holidays surged past 90 percent, with room prices generally up by five to 10 percent, compared with the same period last year.

Fanny Yeung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council, said overnight tourists made up a hefty 60 percent of total mainland arrivals.

Hong Kong laid out a tapestry of attractions to mark the 76th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the Mid-Autumn Festival, including a blitz of cultural events, free tram and ferry rides, and half-priced movie tickets.

A mainland tourist, surnamed Ma, said he brought his family to the SAR on Tuesday for a taste of the city’s charm in the wake of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

He said he chose Hong Kong’s neon-lit night experience over bedding down in Shenzhen although the latter would mean less accommodation cost. “We wanted to take in Hong Kong’s night views and its incredibly lively night markets. We also went shopping in Mong Kok – it was excellent.”

Ma noted that Hong Kong’s travel atmosphere is much better than some grim narratives he had seen online. “The services are warm and friendly, in contrast to stories I’ve heard about unpleasant experiences due to language barriers.”

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The SAR’s subway ticketing and retail payment systems are now linked with the mainland’s popular payment apps, and retail employees are always on hand to offer help, he said.

The long holiday stretch also attracted international travelers on multi-stop China tours, and those aiming to dig deeper into local culture.

Two elderly pensioners from the United Kingdom, Jean and Linda, were out enjoying Hong Kong’s morning sun on Wednesday, snapping pictures of Victoria Harbor’s “stunning” skyline.

“It’s my dream to visit Hong Kong. It’s huge for me,” said Jean, “I grew up in the 70s, watching James Bond movies. You’d see that harbor, those iconic buildings… the culture. It got me hooked.”

The 1967 James Bond film, You Only Live Twice, starring Sean Connery, featured scenes shot on Hong Kong streets, as well as in Victoria Harbor.

Arriving on Tuesday, the pair scoffed a breakfast bar in their hotel room for a 10:30am sharp start to the day to beat the crowds. “It’s not busy. And, beautifully clean too,” they said, almost in disbelief. “Everyone told us it would be heaving with people. But it’s lovely and quiet this time of the morning … That’s what struck us.”

They would also take the opportunity to enjoy the Mid-Autumn Festival vibe. “We arrived just in time for a taste of the mooncakes,” Jean said. “I’ve got to have one!”

Hong Kong is the starting and finishing point of their mammoth China tour. After spending four days in the city, they’re off to Beijing, Xi’an in Shaanxi province, Chengdu in Sichuan, Huangshan in Anhui, Shanghai and Guilin in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region before returning to Hong Kong for another two days.

With four days ahead to explore Hong Kong, the two drew up a packed tour plan to sightsee the Peak, the Big Buddha on Lantau Island, and much of Hong Kong Island.

Also looking for a cultural deep-dive was Chae Hee Sook and her family from South Korea. Looking at a poster at the Hong Kong Museum of Art in Tsim Sha Tsui with information about the port city’s historical transformation, Chae said: “I want to get some ideas of Hong Kong’s past and present.”

“I’ll jump on the whacky open-top bus later today,” she said. “I would first like to see the whole of Hong Kong from up there, and then pick something else and mix for us to dive deeper into.”

Chae, Jean and Linda knew little, but are curious to experience the SAR government’s new art and cultural tourism pushes, led by the West Kowloon Cultural District. “We’re open to any relatively new tourist itinerary here. Now, having known these new hotspots, we’ll definitely go and find out,” Jean said.

Many mainland visitors also used the “golden week” to tour multiple cities in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area.

READ MORE: Mid-Autumn festivities light up HK community

Timothy Chui Ting-pong, executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Association, said there has been a clearer trend, compared to previous years, with more “multi-stop” tourists taking high-speed trains to visit Guangzhou and Shenzhen before coming to Hong Kong. “They’re typically overnight guests”, he said.

The Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong had estimated that the long mainland holiday break would bring about 1,100 to 1,200 tour groups to the city, with half of them opting for “multi-stop” itineraries.

Adding to the momentum, the Hong Kong Arts Development Council will kick off its fourth “Arts in the City” public art walk in Hong Kong Island's Southern District on Oct 14, following previous editions in Tai Hang, Yuen Long and Tai Po.

The event, running until Nov 5, is aimed at offering visitors a glimpse of the district’s history -- from fishing and shipbuilding to its famed typhoon shelters -- that epitomizes Hong Kong’s broader maritime heritage and urban development.

Contact the writer at wanqing@chinadailyhk.com