Hong Kong visitor arrivals soar

HONG KONG - The Hong Kong Tourism Board announced today (24 August) that visitor arrivals to Hong Kong in July reached 4,369,786, a year-on-year increase of 13.8%. Cumulatively, for the first seven months of 2012, total arrivals rose 15.2% to 26,692,540. Of all visitor arrivals in July, over 2.21 million or 50.7% were overnight arrivals, 3.6% more than in the same month last year. The remaining 49.3% (over 2.15 million) were same-day, in-town arrivals, whose number increased 26.7% over last year. In the first seven months of 2012, overnight arrivals and same-day, in-town arrivals accounted for 49.5% (over 13.20 million) and 50.5% (almost 13.49 million) of total cumulative arrivals respectively. The table below summarises the arrivals figures from the various market regions: January to July July Market Region 2012 Vs. 2011 2012 Vs. 2011 Long-haul Markets 2,734,729 +1.5% 363,431 -5.4% The Americas 1,042,550 +0.5% 143,604 -4.9% Europe, Africa & the Middle East 1,264,652 +3.2% 162,054 -5.1% Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific 427,527 -1.3% 57,773 -7.4% Short-haul Markets (excl. Mainland China)* 5,110,659 +0.2% 741,970 -4.6% North Asia 1,380,576 +7.4% 199,823 +5.7% South & Southeast Asia 2,062,533 -1.0% 261,583 -11.6% Taiwan 1,196,702 -5.8% 203,164 -6.2% Mainland China** 18,847,152 +22.6% 3,264,385 +21.9% Total* 26,692,540 +15.2% 4,369,786 +13.8% *Figure includes arrivals from the Macau SAR **In July, 66.3% (over 2.16 million) of total Mainland arrivals to Hong Kong came under the Individual Visit Scheme, 21.1% more than in the same month last year. Note: Visitor arrivals mentioned in this release include both overnight visitors and same-day, in-town visitors. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), visitors are divided into two categories: (i) tourists or overnight visitors, if the trip involves an overnight stay; and (ii) same-day visitors or excursionists, if the trip does not involve an overnight stay. Sourced: eturbonews