The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region recorded 5.46 million visitor arrivals in August, an increase of 6 percent year-on-year and the highest monthly figure since the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

Provisional data released by the HKTB on Tuesday showed that the arrivals included 4.57 million from the Chinese mainland, marking an 8 percent increase from a year ago, while arrivals from long-haul markets surged 18 percent to 289,489.

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The city had a number of major international MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) and mega events last month, including the Hong Kong Football Festival 2026, which attracted a diverse range of visitors and helped drive arrivals from the mainland, Singapore, the United Kingdom and other markets, the board said.

In the first eight months of this year, the SAR recorded a cumulative total of approximately 36.67 million visitor arrivals, an 11 percent increase over the same period last year.

Among these, arrivals from the mainland and long-haul markets remained stable while visitor growth in short-haul markets continued to face challenges due to factors such as flight capacity, fuel surcharges and regional competition, the HKTB said.

Looking ahead, the board said it will step up its promotion of both Chinese and Western festivals, including hosting the International Lantern Spectacular, followed by a Halloween promotional event.

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It will also expand the scale of flagship mega events, such as the Hong Kong Cyclothon and the Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations, while promoting “Only in Hong Kong” tourism experiences.