As cross‑border travel between Chinese Mainland, Hong Kong and Macao continues to normalise, the challenge for both cities has moved beyond simply restoring visitor volumes to monetising evolving travel patterns characterised by shorter stays, increased price sensitivity and more deliberate spending behaviour. The School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU), in collaboration with THINK CHINA, today released the findings of a joint research study examining the spending habits, mobility patterns and value created by Chinese Mainland tourists in Hong Kong and Macao.
Led by Prof. Kam HUNG, Principal Investigator and SHTM Professor; Prof. Tony TSE, Co‑Investigator and SHTM Professor of Practice; and Mr Benjamin SUN, Co‑Investigator and Managing Director of THINK CHINA, the study addresses a critical shift in the post‑pandemic recovery tourism landscape and translates empirical findings into strategic, forward‑looking recommendations for destination managers, tourism operators and policymakers.
The study draws on a rigorous mixed‑method research design, combining enhanced survey instrumentation with strict data‑quality controls. A total of 3,209 valid responses were analysed, from 1,928 Chinese Mainland visitors to Hong Kong and 1,281 to Macao, enabling a detailed, segmented analysis of the spending, shopping behaviour, mobility and decision‑making of Chinese Mainland tourists.
Key findings from the study include the following.
- Chinese Mainland visitors should not be treated as a single demand pool
Proximity drives visit frequency but not necessarily value. Same‑day visitors, predominantly from the Greater Bay Area, show significantly higher repeat visit rates, while overnight visitors remain the primary drivers of immediate per‑trip value due to their broader participation in shopping, dining, accommodation and experiential activities. The research advocates a shift from traffic‑based thinking to conversion‑based thinking: same-day visitors should be seen as a repeat-customer base with lifetime-value potential, whereas overnight visitors should be targeted for deeper cross-category spend.
- Accommodation choice emerges as a powerful commercial signal
Travellers who combine star‑rated and non‑star‑rated stays show longer stays and stronger spending performance, indicating a trend of selective premiumisation rather than simple budget constraints.
- Luxury shoppers remain the clearest high‑value segment, though value creation differs across destinations
In Hong Kong, luxury spending produces a step‑change in total expenditure, driven by fashion‑led baskets and large‑ticket purchases concentrated in established luxury districts such as Central, Tsim Sha Tsui and Causeway Bay. In Macao, premium demand is most evident on the Macao Peninsula and, in particular, the Cotai Strip, where integrated resort environments amplify luxury intensity.
- Beauty and family shoppers represent scalable value pools
Beauty shoppers sit within an affordable‑premium band and are responsive to trust‑building, curated content and digital touchpoints. Family travellers, while not always the highest spenders on a per‑capita basis, generate economic impact through larger baskets and wider category participation across attractions, dining, accommodation and household‑related purchases. They offer a wider commercial reach than luxury shoppers while supporting conversion levers.
The study underscores that shopping demand is not fixed, but can be shaped through better‑designed visitor journeys, improved information accessibility, reduced transaction friction and stronger ecosystem integration among tourism, retail, hospitality, attractions, events and transport.
Crucially, Hong Kong and Macao should not follow identical strategic playbooks. Hong Kong's strength lies in its citywide retail connectivity, long-standing brand trust and the efficient conversion of short, multi‑stop trips into shopping and dining spend. Macao's competitive advantage lies in ecosystem integration, where gaming, entertainment, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions), concerts, resort stays and retail can be orchestrated into unified total‑spend pathways.
Prof. Kam Hung remarked, "Destinations that succeed in the next phase of competition will be those that shift away from treating visitors as mere footfall and instead manage them as distinct, monetisable customer segments."
Mr Benjamin Sun added, "It's time to rethink Hong Kong and Macao beyond geographic borders. A decade ago, our consumer markets were clearly defined; today, seamless movement across the Greater Bay Area has blurred those lines. Locals remain the foundation, but GBA visitors should be seen as a natural extension of our core audience. The real opportunity lies in understanding the distinct segments within this expanded market—and activating them with precision and frequency. Those who act decisively will unlock the next wave of growth across tourism and retail."
Prof. Kaye CHON, SHTM Dean, Chair Professor and Walter and Wendy Kwok Family Foundation Professor in International Hospitality Management, said, "This research underscores the importance of moving beyond volume‑driven thinking towards value‑oriented destination management. By bridging academic research and industry practice, we aim to help the industry and policymakers navigate shifting visitor behaviours and strengthen long‑term competitiveness."
To view the full report, please download it here.
