Hong Kong logs 12 million in overnight visitors

OVERNIGHT visitor arrivals to Hong Kong shot up 8.7 per cent year-on-year between January and June this year, while the territory welcomed a total of 25.4 million visitors for the same period, up 13.6 per cent over 2012.

In 1H2013, overnight visitors to Hong Kong numbered 12 million or 47.1 per cent of total arrivals, according to HKTB statistics. Unsurprisingly, mainland Chinese tourists who stayed overnight numbered 7.8 million, boasting a 16.2 per cent year-on-year increase.

Taiwanese overnight arrivals rose 4.1 per cent, likely due to the free, pre-arrival online registration service for Taiwanese residents, said a HKTB statement. Visitors from Thailand also rose 15 per cent (TTG Asia e-Daily, July 5, 2013).

However, shorthaul arrivals to the territory fell 4.2 per cent as travellers were drawn to Japan as the value of the yen declined. Japanese overnight arrivals tumbled some 29.1 per cent.

Longhaul markets continued to suffer the impact of global economic uncertainties and dropped 4.1 per cent for overnight arrivals.

New markets – listed as India, Gulf Co-operation Council countries, Russia, The Netherlands and Vietnam by HKTB – posted 7.2 per cent year-on-year growth collectively. Russian arrivals saw the strongest growth, jumping 24.6 per cent in overnight arrivals and 26.3 per cent for overall arrivals.

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