Retail / news
Hong Kong visitor arrivals forecast to hit 59 million in 2026 as retail sales rise 9.7%
Hong Kong retail sales climbed 9.7% year-on-year to about $25.9b (HK$203b) in the first half of 2026, with visitor arrivals projected to grow 18% to 59 million for the full year.
Growth in the first half was led by high-value categories. Consumer durable goods sales advanced 26%, while jewellery, watches and clocks, and valuable gifts rose 24%.
Deloitte China expects Hong Kong retail sales to reach $52.5b (HK$412b) for the full year, an increase of 8.4%, with momentum easing to 7% growth in the second half.
Michael Cheng, consumer markets business leader at Deloitte China Hong Kong, linked the strong first-half expansion to solid visitor arrivals, positive wealth effects and technology upgrades, noting that a steady rise in online sales points to shifting consumer shopping habits.
Technology replacement cycles lifted demand for AI-enabled phones, laptops and smart-home ecosystems, while recovering property transactions supported sales of appliances and household goods.
The outlook rests on tourism, with visitor arrivals to the city forecast to rise 18% to 59 million in 2026, underpinning spending on luxury goods and other high-value categories.