Slump in F&B sector over Easter break as 28% of Hongkongers leave city

About 28 per cent of Hong Kong’s population – or over 2 million Hongkongers – left the city in the first four days of the Easter break, according to official statistics, with one industry leader saying the outflow had greatly affected business in the local food and beverage sector.The number of outgoing Hong Kong residents rose by 14.34 per cent to 2.12 million between last Friday and Monday, while the 411,972 inbound visitors from Mainland China marked a 16.13 per cent year-on-year increase, according to Immigration Department statistics. The number of visitors from other places also grew 1.79 per cent from the corresponding period in 2025.The number of Hongkongers who departed the city amounted to 28 per cent of Hong Kong’s 7.51 million population.Edward Leung Hei, chairman of the Hong Kong Feast and Retreat Association and a former lawmaker, told the media the F&B sector was struggling despite the high occupancy rate in the city’s hotels.Restaurant operators reported that overall revenue declined by 15 to 20 per cent during the Easter holiday, compared with a typical weekend, he said.Business declined by 20 per cent at traditional cha chaan teng or teahouses in busy districts, while those in residential areas fell by 15 per cent, Leung added.“Those mid-to-high tier restaurants targeting local customers have seen a 20 per cent drop in business as well.”