Tour groups from Hong Kong to mainland China are expected to rise by up to 40 per cent year on year over the Labour Day weekend, with travel agents citing improved safety and hygiene as key factors attracting visitors.

The agents also said that slight increases in fuel surcharges for flights to Asian destinations were not the main driver of shifting outbound travel patterns among Hong Kong residents; instead, they pointed to the novelty and wide range of mainland options.

Steve Huen Kwok-chuen,...