Hong Kong welcomed 12.2 million visitors in the first quarter of the year, a 9 per cent increase over the same period in 2024, due largely to a spate of mega-events in March, the Tourism Board said on Monday. Last month alone, the number of arrivals jumped 12 per cent year on year to 3.82 million amid the city’s first “Super March” campaign, which included events such as the pop culture showcase ComplexCon, the Hong Kong Sevens rugby tournament, art festivals Art Basel and Art Central, and the LIV Golf Hong Kong competition. Of the 12.2 million arrivals in the first quarter, 9.25 million or 75.8 per cent visited from mainland China, a 6 per cent year-on-year rise. The number from non-mainland short- and long-haul places of origin increased by 18 per cent. The board on Monday reported encouraging growth in visitor numbers from non-mainland markets, with short-haul ones such as Japan, South Korea and Taiwan each growing significantly year on year by 30 per cent or more. In long-haul markets, double-digit year-on-year growth was recorded for both the United States and Canada, while Australia registered the highest increase at 32 per cent, the board added. “Following the ‘Hong Kong Super March’ promotion … the Hong Kong Tourism Board is launching a new ‘Hong Kong Cultural Beat’ thematic promotion, shining a spotlight on traditional festivals and other events around Hong Kong from now until June,” it said. As part of the promotion, the city will stage a drone show on the evening of May 1 at the Wan Chai Temporary Promenade, celebrating the Tin Hau Festival, the Tam Kung Festival and the Cheung Chau Jiao Festival. In June, the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races will be held as part of the city’s Intangible Cultural Month, featuring races at Victoria Harbour and a festival with food, photo spots and entertainment. Ahead of the Labour Day “golden week” holiday, the board said it had intensified marketing in key mainland markets through social media platforms including RedNote, with promotions offering other aspects of Hong Kong’s intangible heritage such as city walks and photo taking in the new Kai Tak neighbourhood.