East Asia Tourism Faces Mixed Prospects

Hong Kong's hotels experienced high occupancy rates during the National Day holiday, but industry leaders are concerned that the government's efforts to manage crowds by ending events earlier may be limiting demand for extended stays. The tourism industry is worried that this could negatively impact the city's tourism sector. Despite a 6.3% increase in visitor arrivals, industry leaders believe that the focus on same-day trips may be reducing the opportunity to showcase Hong Kong's attractions and decreasing the likelihood of overnight stays. Tourism chief Rosanna Law Shuk-pui reported 676,000 visitor arrivals during the first three days of the holiday.

The sales of mooncakes, a traditional gift during China's Mid-Autumn Festival, are expected to drop as consumers cut back on non-essential spending. The average per-person budget for mooncake gifts has decreased by 40% to 140 yuan (US$20) compared to last year. This decline is seen as a sign that China's domestic demand has yet to fully recover. Despite an eight-day 'super golden week' break containing this year's festival, the industry remains sluggish, with some companies laying off staff due to lost clients.

Despite anti-China protests in Seoul, Chinese tourism to South Korea remains strong due to a new visa-free policy and the 'super golden week' holiday. Analysts warn that tourist arrivals may decrease once the holiday ends. The protests, criticizing the visa-free entry scheme for potential security risks, have been met with responses from the South Korean President and the Chinese embassy, both of which have expressed disapproval of the demonstrations.