Hong Kong’s 2026 tourism recap: Lunar New Year, Art Basel, food and nostalgic exhibitions

The Hong Kong Tourism Board announced a full-year tourism promotion plan in early 2026, focusing on three main axes: food culture, festivals and art exhibitions to attract tourists to extend their stay and deepen their city experience. According to statistics, the number of tourists from Taiwan to Hong Kong in 2025 was close to 1.58 million, an increase of approximately 27% from 2024, of which overnight visitors increased by approximately 20%, reflecting the continued recovery of short-distance travel demand between Taiwan and Hong Kong. As of October 20, 2026, looking back at this year's activities, most of the limited-time projects have come to an end, but some of them are still items that travelers can pay attention to when planning their itinerary.

"Hong Kong Taste" food guide can still be used as a reference

The Hong Kong Tourism Board collaborates with the Chinese Culinary Institute, a subsidiary of the Hong Kong Vocational Training Council, to invite more than 50 local celebrity chefs who graduated from the institute to jointly recommend 250 recommended dining spots in Hong Kong and launch the first Hong Kong-wide "Hong Kong Taste" celebrity chefs' selected food guide. The selected list spans noodle shops, Hong Kong-style sweet shops, time-honored restaurants, specialty coffee shops, as well as star-rated hotels and Michelin-recommended restaurants, showing the diverse appearance of Hong Kong’s food landscape. This guide is not a limited-time event and can still be used as a dining reference for travelers when planning their Hong Kong itinerary.

The Chinese New Year performance and bouncing carnival have ended

Cathay Pacific New Year International Parade Night was launched on February 17, the first day of the Lunar New Year. Nearly 60 floats and performance teams paraded around the Tsim Sha Tsui Cultural Center Plaza to kick off the Year of the Horse; The Big Bounce, the world's largest bouncing experience, was also completed at the West Kowloon Cultural District Art Park from February 6 to 22. Both activities are limited-time plans during the 2026 Lunar New Year and have ended.

The current status of the nostalgic exhibitions on the East Coast Boardwalk, Airport and MTR

The East Coast Boardwalk, which is about 2.2 kilometers long, connects Fortress Hill to Quarry Bay Waterfront. It fully opened in 2025. Including the original road section, the Hong Kong Island Waterfront is officially connected from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan with a total length of about 13 kilometers. There are shared paths for walking, running and cycling, as well as a glass observation deck to enjoy the water view of Victoria Harbor. The Hong Kong International Airport Arrival Hall and McDonald's Hong Kong collaborated to launch the "Miniature of the City Witness the Changes" nostalgic street exhibition, which recreates the scene of Hong Kong's street corners and the first McDonald's restaurant in the 1970s. The MTR Corporation simultaneously launched the "Hong Kong Story" project, creating nostalgic themed spaces in multiple stations, including the "Central Cinema" and "Hong Kong Ice Shop" at Hong Kong Station, the "Nanchang Store" grocery store scene at Nam Cheong Station, the 1960s Shanghai-style hairdressing theme at Sai Ying Pun Station, and the nostalgic watch shop at Shau Kei Wan Station. The source information of these facilities does not indicate a clear removal date. Passengers who intend to visit are advised to check the current status with MTR and airport officials in advance.

The Ancient Egyptian Civilization Exhibition and Molly’s 20th Anniversary Tour Exhibition have been closed

The "Ancient Egyptian Civilization Exhibition - Collection of the Egyptian Museum" at the Hong Kong Palace Museum brings together 250 cultural relics from 7 important Egyptian museums and the latest archaeological discoveries, including the giant stone statue of Tutankhamen. It is the largest ancient Egyptian cultural relics exhibition in Hong Kong's history. The exhibition ran until August 31, 2026 and has ended. Molly's 20th Anniversary Touring Exhibition co-curated by Pop Mart and artist Kenny Wong, the first stop in the West Kowloon Cultural District will be on display until February 10, while the "Molly Star Search: Return to the Peak" event, a collaboration between the Peak Tram and The Peak Galleria, will continue until March 31. Both have ended. The Festilumi light and shadow exhibition on the Wan Chai Promenade features more than 20,000 luminous sculptures to create a 1.2-kilometer immersive walking route. The source information does not indicate a specific closing date. Travelers who are interested in going are advised to directly check the official announcement of the Hong Kong Tourism Board to confirm the current situation.

Art Basel and Flight-and-Hotel Offers Expired

Art Basel Hong Kong was held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center from March 27 to 29, bringing together a total of 240 galleries from 41 countries and regions; the Art Central exhibition during the same period was held at the Central Harbourfront from March 25 to 29. Both art exhibitions have concluded. As for the flight-and-hotel package launched by the travel agency in conjunction with the Lunar New Year, the departure date was mostly locked in mid-February, but now it has expired. When planning a recent itinerary, travelers should directly check with the travel agency for the latest Hong Kong independent travel quotation and departure date.