Hong Kong recorded more than 3.4 million visitors in March as of Friday, up about 12 percent year-on-year, including around 960,000 non-Chinese mainland tourists, boosted by a slew of mega events held in Hong Kong this month, Paul Chan, financial secretary of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government, has said.

In a blog post on Sunday, Chan highlighted the Hong Kong Sevens, a major rugby event concluding on Sunday, which has elevated the festive atmosphere to new heights. The Kai Tak Sports Park, freshly opened in March, offers a larger venue with world-class facilities for the matches, with expected attendance reaching a record 140,000. All 60-plus corporate boxes at the venue were sold out well in advance, he said.

Chan shared his personal experience at the Art Basel Hong Kong exhibition held at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center. He said that the five-day event is projected to attract more attendees than last year's turnout of 75,000. Earlier this month, the international trendy cultural event ComplexCon also saw success, drawing 35,000 visitors, a 16 percent increase from the previous year, with total sales exceeding 87 million Hong Kong dollars (11.18 million U.S. dollars) over three days, he added.

In recent weeks, several major conferences have taken place, including the Wealth for Good in Hong Kong Summit 2025, hosted by the HKSAR government, along with various meetings organized by financial, academic, media, and international institutions.

Chan noted that international guests frequently observed that Hong Kong has regained its vibrancy and energy. The financial market has shown notable improvement this year, with rising stock markets and significant increases in trading volume. New stock financing activities have also become more active.

Coupled with breakthroughs in cutting-edge technologies like artificial intelligence and developments in the cultural and creative industries, international investors are reassessing the financial markets in Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland, increasing their investment allocations in the region. They also hope to explore more investment opportunities in the Chinese mainland and surrounding areas through Hong Kong as a platform, Chan said.

Looking ahead, Chan stated that the HKSAR government would continue to promote the mega-event economy and would work alongside the industry to encourage and support businesses in developing more unique products and services, continually enhancing customer experiences to create a bustling and prosperous environment.