Business News
Hong Kong welcomes a record 28 million visitors in 2007
By DPA
Jan 7, 2008, 11:33 GMT

Hong Kong - Hong Kong welcomed a record 28 million visitors in 2007, 10 per cent more than in the previous record-breaking year of 2006, officials announced Monday.

Spending by visitors to the wealthy former British colony also rose sharply with spending of 17.8 billion US dollars, 1.4 billion US dollars more than in 2006.

Announcing the results, Hong Kong Tourism Board chairman James Tien said the record visitor numbers were 'testament to Hong Kong's enduring appeal as a destination in the face of ever-growing competition.'

He added: 'We're especially encouraged that besides the strong performance of mainland China, the growth was spread across different international markets.'

Mainland Chinese visitors account for around half of all tourists in Hong Kong, and overall tourist arrivals have more than doubled since 2003, when cross-border travel restrictions for people from China were substantially eased.

Hong Kong, a city of 6.9 million, is famous for its shopping and nightlife and attracts mostly short-stay visitors, often stopping on their way to or from beach destinations in the region.