Hong Kong experienced a significant jump in visitor numbers during the first three days of the National Day Golden Week with 676,000 mainland tourists arriving, a 6.3 percent increase compared to last year, according to the Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law.

Speaking on a Commercial Radio programme on Saturday, Law highlighted the strong start to the eight-day mainland holiday period, reporting that tourist attractions and theme parks saw marked growth while hotel occupancy rates were "satisfactory".

She said the visitor boom has provided a direct boost to the economy, crediting targeted promotions and discounts by restaurants and businesses for helping to stimulate the market.

"If there are unique offerings, people will come to Hong Kong," Law said.

"You can see that the market is vibrant, not just in hot spots like Canton Road, but everywhere is bustling. I think this is positive."

Law said the high demand was also reflected in the accommodation sector, where a 90 percent hotel occupancy rate has become "almost the norm", with luxury hotels fully booked.

This strong performance during Golden Week contributes to a positive outlook for the year, Law said, noting that Hong Kong has already welcomed 36.5 million visitors between January and September, a 12 percent increase over the same period last year.

With the traditional peak travel season still ahead – and featuring events like the National Games in November and the Wine and Dine Festival this month – Law is confident the city will meet, and potentially exceed, its initial annual projection of 49 million visitors.