HONG KONG, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) on Tuesday announced that 9.95 million visitors arrived in Hong Kong in the first two months of 2026, an increase of 18 percent over the same period last year.

Tourists pose for selfies at the Tsim Sha Tsui waterfront in Hong Kong, south China, Feb. 17, 2026. (File photo: Xinhua)

Of these visitors, 7.9 million were from the Chinese mainland, marking a 22 percent year-on-year rise, driven by the Spring Festival holidays in the Chinese mainland and various mega events in Hong Kong, according to the HKTB.

Visitor arrivals from the non-Chinese mainland markets totaled 2.06 million in the first two months, an 8 percent increase year-on-year. With notable results from long-haul markets, the number of visitors from Australia, France and Germany grew by 20 percent to 30 percent year-on-year.