It should come as no surprise that one in six people from Hong Kong went to the mainland during the Christmas holidays.
It was according to data from the Department of Immigration, which show about 1.32 million local residents who left Hong Kong in the first three days of the Christmas holiday.
The number of departures on the small island with 7.3 million was a record high, up 15.6 percent from the pre-pandemic level in 2019.
While many locals enjoyed hot springs and sashimi in Japan, nearly 90 percent of these outbound trips were short trips to Shenzhen, Zhuhai or Macau.
While people lined up at various ports in Shenzhen (thankfully, waiting hours were much shorter than before), it was also worth noting that the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau bridge hit a record high with 16,000 vehicles who spend Christmas Day.
However, it was a travel deficit for Hong Kong, where local newspapers established that the number of arrivals was about a third of departures during the Christmas period.
Well, a major reason must be Christmas, when most people in Hong Kong could enjoy a four-day holiday, it was as usual for mainlanders.
But it cannot be denied that the deficit is growing now with the reopening after a three-year pandemic because many people have found it more interesting to travel to nearby cities for more fun but a lower budget.
That also explains why most local retail and restaurant operators are bleeding during Christmas, the traditional peak season. The Christmas buffet is now much easier to book, and the only crowded district is Tsim Sha Tsui for the Christmas countdown.
Walking in Wanchai on Christmas night reminded me of the painful pandemic period. One particular restaurant in a popular shopping mall in Mong Kok did not serve any lunch during Christmas afternoon tea time, according to the Hong Kong Economic Journal.
It is not surprising that some retailers wanted there to be no reopening because their businesses were significantly worse this year than previous years.
The retail situation could be the same as we are going for 2024 because the trend of cross-border spending will probably continue. Who in Hong Kong does not want to pay half for much better service – not only in food, but everything?
Yes, the Temple Street shoot helps. Hong Kong Brands and Products Expo always attracts many people. There are always sold out concerts and shows.
But Hong Kong just lacks the usual vibrancy and resilience we’ve come to know. We certainly hope that the economic winter will be soon.
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