2010 starts off strong in visitor arrivals

The number of visitor arrivals to Hong Kong reached 2,866,053 in February, representing 32.5% growth year-on-year, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), and setting a record for the month. The key reason for the strong growth was a surge of Mainland arrivals during the Lunar New Year Golden Week, which fell in February this year but January last year. The table below breakdown arrivals by market regions:

* Total figure includes arrivals from Macau Special Administrative Region

Notwithstanding the seasonal impact of the Lunar New Year holiday, the combined figures for January and February show consistent growth, reflecting a recovering global economy and improved consumer sentiment to travel. For the first two months of 2010, total arrivals stood at 5,826,372, or 17.5% ahead of the same period last year.

All long- and short-haul market regions showed positive growth for the combined months. Standing at the forefront was mainland China, with arrivals up 21%. The robust performance was mainly driven by the Mainland’s implementation of measures to facilitate individual visits to Hong Kong by Shenzhen residents.

Other short-haul regions also registered double-digit gains in arrivals, namely South and Southeast Asia (+13.5%), North Asia (+12.7%) and Taiwan (+12.7%). The growth in Taiwan, which was driven by vacation visitors, was especially encouraging given the impact of the direct links. As for individual markets, both India (+32.5%) and South Korea (+37.6%) achieved significant growth as a result of increased flight capacity and appreciation of the won currency, respectively.

While business travel, which accounts for a significant share of long-haul arrivals, is always quieter around the Lunar New Year period, the aggregate January and February figures showed a 9% increase in arrivals from these regions. Europe, Africa and the Middle East continued to lead the pack with 9.9% growth, while arrivals from the Americas and from Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific increased 7.9% and 9%, respectively.

For the first two months of 2010, overnight and same-day arrivals showed increases of 13.8% and 22.5%, respectively.

Approximately 56% of all arrivals stayed in the city at least one night, compared with 57.8% last year. All market regions, except mainland China, enjoyed a higher percentage of overnight visitors to Hong Kong — led by the growth in vacation visitors, especially from short-haul regions.

The proportion of same-day visitors increased from 42.2% in January-February 2009 to 44% this year, which reflects the significant growth in same-day visits by travelers from mainland China, especially with the implementation of measures on individual visits by Shenzhen residents.

Hotel occupancy across all categories of hotels in February 2010 was 79%, 3 percentage points higher than the year before. The average achieved hotel room rate across all categories was US$133.07, 2.4% higher than in February 2009.

Dragon Boat mega event in July

Learn more about the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival at the event's web site.

Get ready for a major carnival in Tsim Sha Tsui East this July. To attract visitors to Hong Kong this summer, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is teaming up with the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Association (HKDBA) to organize the “Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival” — a mega event that will run from July 23-25.  The three-day event will witness actions in the water and on land. Apart from the exhilarating dragon boat races, other exciting elements will indulge visitors in the convivial summer fiesta. 

HKTB Chairman James Tien pointed out that 35 years ago, Hong Kong hosted the first international dragon boat race. “The standards set at that time are adopted in dragon boat races held in more than 60 countries and regions today,” he said. “To say Hong Kong is the birthplace of modern dragon boat races is no exaggeration.”

To celebrate Hong Kong’s eminent position in the sport, the HKTB is collaborating with the HKDBA to organize the “Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival” in Victoria Harbour. “We hope that the dragon boat races set in the world famous harbor will attract dragon boat lovers to take part in the event as racers and spectators.

“We also hope to enhance the interest of visitors in general to visit Hong Kong, and to gain extensive worldwide media coverage,” said Mr. Tien.

HKDBA Chairman Raymond Ma said his association is delighted to partner with the HKTB in organizing the carnival.

“The mega event will bring the Hong Kong International Dragon Boat Races back to the cradle of renowned Victoria Harbour, enhancing the scope and appeal of the races,” said Dr. Ma. “The synergy generated by the partnership between the two organizations, on top of the far-reaching global network of the HKTB, will bring Hong Kong’s dragon boat races to a greater audience. In the long run, the event will be conducive to the development of the dragon boat culture in the world.”

The carnival is a key HKTB promotional event, not only as a summer draw but also throughout “Festive Hong Kong 2010.” As the global economy recovers and the number of visitors increases, the HKTB is actively driving promotions in mainland China and other short-haul markets. It is also cooperating with trade partners to launch itineraries surrounding the “Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival,” with the goal of attracting young people and families to the city this summer.