The tourism sector posted strong hotel performance in the first quarter of 2026, even as package tour arrivals continued to fall, according to the Statistics and Census Service (DSEC).
Average hotel occupancy reached 92.3%, up 2.1 percentage points year-on-year. Five-star hotels led at 95.4%, followed by four-star (88.7%) and three-star properties (87.5%), all recording gains.
Total hotel guests rose 2.6% to 3.67 million. Mainland visitors increased 0.6% to 2.74 million, while Hong Kong arrivals grew 4.3% to 390,000. International guests climbed 16% to 338,000, driven by strong growth from Thailand (up 61.3%), India (up 51%), South Korea (up 15.1%) and Malaysia (up 1.2%), though Japan and Indonesia declined.
However, inbound package tour visitors dropped 14% to 475,000 in the quarter. Mainland package tours fell 20.4% to 385,000, offset by a 16.1% rise in international tour groups to 65,000, reflecting a continued shift toward individual travel under the Individual Visit Scheme.
In March alone, occupancy stood at 90.8%, while total guests dipped slightly by 0.6% to 1.2 million. International guests rose 22.2% to 129,000. Package tours fell 20.1% year-on-year, despite a 10.4% increase in international group tours. LV
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