Friday, August 9, 2024 Hong Kong’s tourism saw a strong rebound in early 2024, with MICE events driving significant growth, as reported by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) highlighted a robust recovery in the first half of this year, primarily driven by MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism. Between January and June, Hong Kong welcomed 21 million visitors, with about half staying overnight.
Remarkably, 70% of these overnight stays were attributed to MICE visitors. MICE tourism has become the most rapidly recovering segment in Hong Kong, with current numbers rebounding to 80% of what they were during the same period in 2018. Each overnight MICE visitor spent an average of HK$8,000 (US$1,026) during their stay, which is 20-30% higher than the average spending of all inbound travelers.
In 2023, MICE tourism attracted a growing number of international tourists, with half of the overnight MICE visitors coming from global markets. These visitors also tended to extend their stays in Hong Kong. The HKTB has secured over 60 large-scale international MICE events for Hong Kong scheduled between 2024 and 2026.
Many of these will be debut events for the city, expected to draw more than 180,000 visitors from both mainland China and international locations. Among the notable first-time events set to take place in Hong Kong are the World Cancer Congress 2026 and the International Federation of Landscape Architects World Cong.