January arrivals rise 5.9%

Visitor arrivals to Hong Kong in January grew 5.9% year-on-year to reach 2,960,319, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board. The table below summarizes arrivals from different market regions:

* Total figure includes arrivals from Macau SAR.

With the stabilizing global economy and gradual recovering of consumers’ sentiments toward travel, most short-haul and long-haul market regions recorded remarkable growth in arrivals compared with January 2009, when arrivals from these regions were plagued by the global financial tsunami. In particular, North Asia achieved a very significant gain (+29.1%), driven by the upsurge of arrivals from South Korea (+40.5%) as a result of the appreciation of the WON currency and a rebound in outbound travel.

Mainland China, however, saw a milder increase in the first month of the year, given the relatively higher base of arrivals as a result of the Chinese New Year holiday last January.

There was a growth in the number of vacationers from Taiwan, resulting in a slight gain of 0.2% in arrivals from the island in January.

Emerging markets, namely, India (+47.3%), Russia (+141.9%) and the Middle East (+41.8% ), continued their upward trend since the last quarter of 2009, with arrivals substantially boosted by such things as expanded flight capacity, visa-free arrangements and the increased propensity to travel.

Overall, approximately 56.3% of all visitors to Hong Kong in January stayed in the city for at least one night, 1.1 percentage points lower than in the same month in 2009. The remaining 43.7% same-day, in-town visitors either returned home or left for another destination on the same day they arrived.

Hotel occupancy across all categories of hotels in January 2010 reached 87%, 8 percentage points higher than in January 2009. The average achieved hotel-room rate across all hotel categories was US$140.51, 1.9% lower than in January 2009.

Tourism Board officials reappointed

On March 12, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government announced the reappointments of James Tien as Chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), and Patrick Fung and Peter Lam as members.

“Under the leadership of Mr. Tien, the HKTB has helped to sustain tourism development as a key economic pillar for Hong Kong and worked with the travel trade to overcome the challenges brought by the financial tsunami and the outbreak of human swine influenza,” Rita Lau, Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, said.

“Dr. Fung and Mr. Lam have contributed immensely to the HKTB’s robust and cost-effective marketing strategies, which have helped promote Hong Kong as a premier tourist destination worldwide. I am delighted that the three members have accepted their re-appointments, and look forward to working closely with them and other members of the HKTB in getting our tourist industry into new heights,” Mrs. Lau said.

Mr. Tien’s three-year term of appointment is from April 1, 2010, to March 31, 2013. Dr. Fung and Mr. Lam's two-year terms are from April 1, 2010, to March 31, 2012.

Appointments to the HKTB are made by the Financial Secretary under section 9 of the HKTB ordinance, under delegated authority from the Chief Executive.