Hong Kong Luxury Sales See Further Revival

Hong Kong retail sales rose in October as tourism to the municipality continued to improve and the government implemented initiatives to stimulate the economy.

Revenue from jewelry, watches, clocks and valuable gifts climbed 27% year on year to HKD 5.1 billion ($653.1 million) for the month, according to data the government’s Census and Statistics Department released Thursday. Retail sales across all product categories increased 6% to HKD 33.77 billion ($4.32 billion).

The growth also reflected a favorable comparison with the same period last year, when the municipality was still operating under strict Covid-19 restrictions, leading to extremely low tourism. Hong Kong derives a large portion of its luxury revenue from tourists — primarily from China — who come to purchase goods. The border between Hong Kong and the mainland reopened at the beginning of the year.

For the first 10 months, proceeds from jewelry, watches, clocks and valuable gifts surged 55% to HKD 50 billion ($6.4 billion). Total retail sales for the period grew 17% to HKD 336.06 billion ($43.03 billion).

In October, 3.5 million visitors arrived in Hong Kong, compared to 80,524 during the same month of 2022. Of those, 2.7 million were from the mainland, versus 47,607 the year before.

“The value of total retail sales increased further in October over a year earlier alongside the continued revival of inbound tourism,” a government spokesperson said. “Further recovery of visitor arrivals should benefit the retail sector. Continued improvement in household income and various activities that bolster the economy, including the ‘Night Vibes Hong Kong’ [events], should also provide support. Yet factors such as tight financial conditions and economic uncertainties could weigh on consumption sentiment.”