Australian travellers continued to show strong confidence in Asia in 2025, with both Hong Kong and Singapore reporting impressive growth in visitor numbers, air capacity and tourism spending, reinforcing their positions as leading short haul destinations for the Australian market.
Hong Kong sees double digit growth from Australia
Hong Kong enjoyed a standout year for Australian visitation in 2025, with arrivals up 27 percent year on year.
According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, 469,000 Australians visited the destination across the year, with December emerging as the strongest month, recording 67,789 arrivals. This marked the second highest monthly total from Australia in the past 12 years.
Increased airline capacity played a key role in the surge, with Hong Kong Airlines launching direct services from Melbourne and Sydney, while Cathay Pacific resumed direct flights from Adelaide. These additions improved both accessibility and choice for Australian travellers.
A packed events calendar also helped drive demand. Major highlights included Chinese New Year celebrations early in the year, the Hong Kong Sevens during Super March which coincided with the opening of the Kai Tak Stadium precinct, and the popular Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival in October. Family travel during Australian school holiday periods also performed strongly.
Hong Kong Tourism Board Director for Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific Karen Macmillan said local marketing initiatives across trade, consumer and cruise sectors helped reinforce Hong Kong’s appeal, particularly as a stopover destination with strong English language accessibility and a relatively short travel time from Australia.
Globally, Hong Kong recorded provisional visitor arrivals of 49.9 million in 2025, representing a 12 percent increase year on year.
Singapore records record tourism receipts
Singapore also delivered a strong performance in 2025, with tourism receipts reaching a record S$23.9 billion in the first nine months of the year, up 6.5 percent compared to 2024. International visitor arrivals totalled 16.9 million, an increase of 2.3 percent year on year.
Australia emerged as Singapore’s fourth largest source market, with 1.3 million Australian visitors travelling to the destination in 2025. This represented an eight percent increase over the previous year and a new historical high. Australia also remained one of Singapore’s top three tourism spending markets, contributing S$1.54 billion in tourism receipts, up seven percent year on year.
Growth was supported by a busy calendar of major events and new experiences. Singapore strengthened its reputation as Asia’s leading events capital, with highlights including the Formula 1 Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, which attracted more than 300,000 attendees, as well as major sporting events and high profile concerts.
New and refreshed attractions also boosted visitor spend, including new wildlife experiences at Mandai, immersive exhibitions at Gardens by the Bay and significant hotel openings across the luxury and lifestyle segments. Singapore’s cruise sector recorded strong momentum, welcoming more than two million cruise passengers and reinforcing the city’s role as a regional cruise hub.
Singapore Tourism Board Chief Executive Melissa Ow said the strong performance in 2025 placed the destination on track to exceed full year tourism targets and supported its longer term Tourism 2040 ambitions.
Asia remains a clear favourite for Australians
Together, the results from Hong Kong and Singapore underline the continued strength of Australian demand for Asia, driven by improved air access, world class events, diverse experiences and strong destination investment. With both cities maintaining momentum into 2026, the outlook for Australian travel to the region remains highly positive.
