Tourism Lull Hits Hong Kong Jewelry Sales

Retail sales of jewelry and other luxury items in Hong Kong slumped in November as tourist arrivals continue to dwindle. Revenue from jewelry, watches, clocks and valuable gifts declined 14 percent to $731.6 million (5.67 billion) in November, according to provisional data from Hong Kong’s Census and Statistics Department. The number of tourists visiting Hong Kong fell 2 percent the same month, the Hong Kong Tourism Board reported.

Hong Kong’s luxury retail sales suffered throughout most of last year as fewer tourists arrived. The data in October signaled a possible recovery as the growth in jewelry and luxury sales was flat from a year ago. However, the latest figures in November did not lend credence to any suggestion of an improvement, even as the drop in sales for that month was less steep than the 19 percent slump for the first 11 months combined.

Overall retail sales slipped 5.5 percent, likely dragged down by lower tourist spending on select big-ticket items, a government spokesperson explained.

“Looking ahead, the performance of retail sales will depend on whether inbound tourism will improve and whether the various external uncertainties will affect local consumer sentiment,” the spokesperson said.