Rafting and hot springs are some of the activities Hong Kong residents indulge in when they travel to Greater Bay Area cities on the mainland, according to a survey.

More than 30 per cent of Hongkongers who have been to the mainland at least three times in the past 12 months have tried rafting, 26 per cent have enjoyed hot springs, and some 22 per cent have experienced spa and massage treatments, according to a survey by Tongcheng Travel, an online travel agency. Skiing, golf and horse riding were some of the other activities, the survey of 2,000 respondents released last week showed.

The number of Hong Kong residents travelling to the mainland has been rising since China lifted the Covid-19 travel restrictions in early 2023, fuelled by expanded cross-border transport such as more high-speed trains and newer bus routes.

Shenzhen, Guangzhou, Zhuhai, Foshan and Dongguan are the most popular destinations, with Hong Kong residents aged 36 to 45 visiting these bay area cities at least 11 times a year, and nine times by those in the 25 to 35 age group, the survey showed.

“Buses carrying tourists from Hong Kong arrive almost daily, and during public holidays, nearly half of the customers are from Hong Kong,” said Shen, the manager of a hot springs hotel in Dongguan, who only gave his surname.