
Tourism in Hong Kong
Hong Kong recorded a total of 56 m tourists in 2019, ranking 10th in the world in absolute terms.That smaller countries regularly perform lower in a comparison of the absolute number of guests, is obvious. By putting the tourist numbers in relation to the population of Hong Kong, the result is much more comparable picture: With 7.4 tourists per resident, Hong Kong ranked 19th in the world. In East Asia, it ranked 2nd.
Hong Kong generated around 32.70 bn US Dollar in the tourism sector alone. This corresponds to 8.9 percent of its the gross domestic product and approximately 22 percent of all international tourism receipts in East Asia.
A global comparison can be found here › International tourism
Back to overview: Hong Kong
On average, each of the tourists arriving in 2019 spent about 512 US Dollars. Conversely, the inhabitants of Hong Kong spend only around 252 dollars a year when they themselves spend vacations abroad.

Development of the tourism sector in Hong Kong from 1995 to 2019
The following chart shows the number of tourist arrivals registered in Hong Kong each year. Anyone who spends at least one night in the country but does not live there for more than 12 months is considered a tourist. Insofar as the survey included the purpose of the trip, business trips and other non-tourism travel purposes have already been excluded. The number of people passing through within the same day, and e.g. crew members of ships or flights are also not considered as tourists in most countries. If the same person travels in and out more than once within the same year, each visit counts again.Data in the chart are given in millions of tourists. The red line represents the average of all 6 countries in East Asia.

Revenues in tourism
In 1995, tourism revenues amounted to 9.60 bn USD, or about 6.6 percent of the gross national product. This corresponded to about 10.20 m tourists at that time and roughly 942 USD per person. Within 24 years, the country's dependence on tourism has increased noticeably. In the last year of the survey, the revenue now amounts to 32.70 bn USD, accounting for 8.9 percent of the gross national product. Each visitor now spends an average of 585 USD for his holiday in Hong Kong.
All data for Hong Kong in detail
Year | Number | Receipts | % of GNP | Income |
---|---|---|---|---|
2019 | 55.91 m | 32.70 bn $ | 8.9 % | 585 $ |
2018 | 65.15 m | 42.31 bn $ | 11.70 % | 649 $ |
2017 | 58.47 m | 38.17 bn $ | 11.19 % | 653 $ |
2016 | 56.66 m | 37.84 bn $ | 11.79 % | 668 $ |
2015 | 59.31 m | 42.49 bn $ | 13.73 % | 716 $ |
2014 | 60.84 m | 46.35 bn $ | 15.90 % | 762 $ |
2013 | 54.30 m | 42.43 bn $ | 15.39 % | 781 $ |
2012 | 48.62 m | 37.10 bn $ | 14.13 % | 763 $ |
2011 | 41.92 m | 33.17 bn $ | 13.35 % | 791 $ |
2010 | 36.03 m | 27.21 bn $ | 11.90 % | 755 $ |
2009 | 29.59 m | 20.29 bn $ | 9.5 % | 686 $ |
2008 | 29.51 m | 20.24 bn $ | 9.2 % | 686 $ |
2007 | 28.17 m | 18.24 bn $ | 8.6 % | 647 $ |
2006 | 25.25 m | 15.54 bn $ | 8.0 % | 615 $ |
2005 | 23.36 m | 13.59 bn $ | 7.5 % | 582 $ |
2004 | 21.81 m | 11.87 bn $ | 7.0 % | 544 $ |
2003 | 15.54 m | 9.00 bn $ | 5.6 % | 580 $ |
2002 | 16.57 m | 9.85 bn $ | 5.9 % | 595 $ |
2001 | 13.73 m | 7.92 bn $ | 4.7 % | 577 $ |
2000 | 13.06 m | 8.20 bn $ | 4.8 % | 628 $ |
1999 | 11.33 m | 7.34 bn $ | 4.4 % | 648 $ |
1998 | 10.16 m | 7.34 bn $ | 4.3 % | 722 $ |
1997 | 11.27 m | 9.98 bn $ | 5.6 % | 885 $ |
1996 | 12.97 m | 11.99 bn $ | 7.5 % | 924 $ |
1995 | 10.20 m | 9.60 bn $ | 6.6 % | 942 $ |
All data correspond to the information of the World Tourism Organization.