Hong Kong recorded a 17 per cent rise in visitors in November to 4.2 million, compared with the same month last year, bringing total arrivals for the first 11 months close to the full-year forecast.
The Hong Kong Tourism Board announced on Monday that between January and November, tourist arrivals rose 12 per cent to 45.2 million. The city recorded double-digit growth among both mainland Chinese visitors and non-mainland travellers from long-haul, short-haul and emerging markets.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Rosanna Law Shuk-pui said earlier she was confident the city would reach its target of 49 million visitors for the whole year, boosted by mega events and the opening of the 50,000-seat Kai Tak Sports Park – the city’s latest performance venue.
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Visitors from the mainland accounted for about 73 per cent of the total in November and 76 per cent over the first 11 months.
During the period, non-mainland long-haul visitors led the growth, rising 19 per cent to 3.16 million, followed by short-haul travellers, up 17 per cent to 5.85 million. Overall, non-mainland visitors increased by 16 per cent to 10.77 million
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Financial Secretary Paul Chan Mo-po said in a blog post on Sunday that service exports had “delivered strong results” throughout the first three quarters of the year, amid an overall 3.3 per cent year-on-year economic growth, largely fuelled by the rebound in tourism.