HKTB reported a strong rebound for MICE tourism

Hong Kong city view from peak at Sunrise
Edited by Travel Weekly


The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) reported a strong rebound for meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions (MICE) tourism in the first half of 2024.

Hong Kong received nearly 21 million visitors between the January to June 2024 with almost half staying overnight. Among the travellers that stayed overnight, MICE arrivals accounted for 700,000 people. That number represents an 80 per cent recovery from the same period of 2018, making MICE the fastest recovering visitor segment in Hong Kong.

The MICE sector serves to attract high-yield visitors to the city, on top of enhancing its international image as the world’s meeting place. Each overnight MICE visitor spent an average of HK$8,000 (AU$1,577), a 20-30 per cent higher average per-capita spending than all inbound travellers.

In 2023, MICE visitors stayed longer with an average of 3.7 nights compared to the average of 3.2 nights for all overnight travellers. It also attracted more international travellers as 50 per cent of the overnight MICE visitors came from international markets, compared to just 25 per cent for all overnight travellers.

The HKTB also secured over 60 large-scale international MICE events for Hong Kong, slated between 2024 to 2026. Many of these events will be held in Hong Kong for the first time and is expected to attract over 180,000 Mainland and international visitors. The events span a wide range of themes and industries such as innovation and technology (I&T), medical sciences, financial services, aviation, architecture, and education.

Notably, the ACM SIGGRAPH Asia 2025 returns since the event was last held in Hong Kong in 2013. First-time events include the SmartCon 2024 and Consensus Hong Kong 2025 of the I&T sector; and Super Terminal Expo 2024, Routes World 2025 and Airspace Asia Pacific 2025 & 2027 of the aviation sector. World congresses include the World Cancer Congress 2026 and International Federation of Landscape Architects World Congress 2026.

HKTB’s five steps to maintain MICE tourism growth

  • Make every effort to secure and bid for major international MICE events.
  • Offer various funding schemes to support events of different scale and types, benefitting the trade, travel agents, hotels and more.
  • Continue the proven targeted multi-pronged approach to boost MICE tourism growth through tailored programs including the “Hong Kong Incentive Playbook” and the “Hong Kong Convention Ambassadors” program.

    HKTB drives strong MICE rebound.

    HKTB drives strong MICE rebound.

  • Enhance tourist’s in-town experiences by arranging value added activities, from sightseeing tours to complimentary tickets to museums etc.
  • Play up Hong Kong’s unique advantages, especially as a “super-connector” for connecting international businesses with Mainland markets, in bids and publicity and promotions.

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