Tourism remains one of
the major economic pillars of Hong Kong:
the most popular city destination in Asia
and the world's seventh most popular tourist
destination.
The tourism industry
reached new heights in 2005 with 23.36
million arrivals, an increase of 7.1 per
cent year-on-year. Long haul markets including
the Americas, Europe and Australasia performed
particularly well, recording double-digit
growth rates compared with 2004. The rise
in the number of Mainland visitors was
more moderate with some 12.54 million
arrivals in 2005.
The average hotel occupancy
rate in 2005 was 86 per cent, down slightly
from 88 per cent in 2004. Total room-nights
did in fact rise, given that the total
stock of hotel room supply increased by
some 4 700 rooms or 12.1 per cent during
the year. The future of the tourism
industry looks even brighter; in addition
to Hong Kong Disneyland, several other
major new attractions will open in 2006,
including the Ngong Ping 360 and Hong
Kong Wetland Park, and there will be new
promotion initiatives and events staged
by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB).
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