Hong Kong starts off 2004 with 13% growth in Visitor Arrivals

Hong Kong's tourism industry has made a solid start to 2004 with figures released today by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) showing that visitor arrivals in January reached 1,748,388, a 13.1% increase over the same month in 2003.

Arrivals from Mainland China, boosted by the Lunar New Year "Golden Week" holiday, grew 48.5% to 1,115,151- the highest number of Mainland visitors yet recorded in a single month. Nearly 32% of these, 355,233 in total, arrived under the individual visa scheme from the 16 cities where it has now come into operation. The 10 days of Lunar New Year alone attracted more than 448,000 Mainland visitors - another record.

In total, some 617,841 arrivals from all markets were recorded in the 10-day Lunar New Year period as leisure visitors from both the short-haul and long-haul markets came to Hong Kong to enjoy the HKTB's International Chinese New Year Parade - staged at night for the first time - as well as other popular festive activities and the Government's new Symphony of Lights harbour lighting show. Between them, these attractions have substantially increased the appeal of this formerly low-season period for inbound leisure travel. The 10-day total represents 14.6% growth over last year's 539,192 arrivals for the equivalent 10 days of Lunar New Year, and comfortably beats the HKTB's 575,000 target for this period.

HKTB Executive Director Clara Chong cautioned, however, that it was too early to draw clear conclusions from the January figures as Chinese New Year fell in February last year. "Direct year-on-year comparisons are often difficult in the early weeks of the year due to the variable date of the Lunar New Year," she explained. "While leisure travel always increases for the festival period, it tends to be a quieter time than normal for business visits. We will really need to see the January and February figures together before we can see clear trends emerging."

Apart from Mainland China, most other markets saw fewer arrivals for the month than in January 2003, as a fair proportion of visitors from these markets come on business. In addition, leisure travel is still yet to regain its full pre-Sars momentum in some key markets such as Japan.

Same-Day In-Town Visitors

In January 2004, 64.7% of total arrivals stayed for one night or longer, compared with only 62.4% in the first month of 2003. The remaining 35.3% were classified as "same-day in-town" visitors, departing for another destination on the same day as arrival. Same-day in-town visitors are a growing global tourism trend but Hong Kong is especially affected due to its position as a major regional transport hub and gateway to Mainland China.

Most longer-haul visitors stay for one night or more. In January, 80.0% of all visitors from Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific, 79.0% from The Americas and 75.8% from Europe, Africa & the Middle East did so, as did 76.4% from South & Southeast Asia.

Hotel Occupancy

Average occupancy rate across all categories of hotels and tourist guest houses in January was 78%, compared with 82% in January 2003. The average achieved hotel room rate was HK$737, a 0.8% year-on-year increase.

See also: Hong Kong targets 20+ Million Visitors for 2004

See also: Hong Kong Visitor Arrivals December 2003