Hong Kong’s economy has posted solid, steady gains this year despite global uncertainties, with exports, tourism and corporate investment all recording varying degrees of improvement, Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo‑po said on Sunday.

Writing in his weekly blog, Chan said sustained efforts to promote innovation, technology and economic development are beginning to bear fruit, creating more favorable conditions for Hong Kong’s next stage of growth and bolstering its resilience against external challenges. The city’s economy expanded 3.3 percent in the first three quarters from a year earlier.

With public consultations on the 2026-27 Budget set to begin shortly, he said the key topics will include widening the city’s economic horizons, accelerating the development and application of innovation and technology, speeding up industrial upgrading, and creating more quality jobs.

The latest figures show that Hong Kong’s goods exports have posted double‑digit year‑on‑year growth so far this year, while services exports have also strengthened, supported by a buoyant financial market and a surge in visitor arrivals to the highest level since the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The special administrative region recorded more than 45 million tourist arrivals in the first 11 months of 2025, surpassing last year’s total. Visitor trips from outside the Chinese mainland reached almost 11 million, up 16 percent from a year earlier. Fresh data from market research firm Euromonitor International also rank the SAR as the world’s second‑most visited city by global travelers.

Hong Kong International Airport was named the world’s leading airport for customer experience at the 32nd World Travel Awards earlier this month — one of the industry’s most prestigious accolades.

With the Christmas and New Year holidays approaching, Chan said the city will roll out a wide range of events and promotions, and he hopes the festivities will draw more travelers and inject greater momentum into consumption and the broader economy.

Investor sentiment tells a similar story. In recent months, several financial institutions and major e‑commerce firms have leased or purchased large floors of commercial space and even entire buildings to expand their presence in Hong Kong and tap both mainland and global opportunities. These moves reflect a vote of confidence in Hong Kong’s longer‑term prospects, Chan said.

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The finance chief attended the opening ceremony of the 59th Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo on Saturday at Victoria Park, where 900 booths across a dozen themed zones attracted strong crowds of residents and visitors from other cities in the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area. He said many exhibitors are ramping up product innovation and incorporating more technology into their offerings.

Chan added he hopes local companies and manufacturers will seize technological trends to develop more innovative products, strengthen brand building and management, and leverage Hong Kong’s brand advantages to unlock greater business potential.

Contact the writer at irisli@chinadailyhk.com