The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has announced that visitor arrivals to Hong Kong in July 2010 reached the highest ever single-month level at 3,136,794, a robust increase of 31.9 per cent year-on-year. For the first seven months of this year, total visitor arrivals amounted to 19,992,810, representing a 24.4 per cent rise compared to the same period last year.

The arrivals base for comparison this July 2010 is relatively lower, given that visitor arrivals in the same month last year were impacted by human swine flu. Notwithstanding so, the gain in visitor arrivals in July 2010 was strongly encouraging, with arrivals surpassing the July 2008 figure by 15.8 per cent.

The growth in overall arrivals in July 2010 was led by Mainland China, the arrivals from which exceeded two million. The figure was not only 40 per cent more than in last July, but was also the highest monthly figure for the market. This significant growth could be attributed to the fact that summer is a popular travel season among Mainland visitors. In addition, the implementation of measures under the Individual Visit Scheme in Shenzhen has made it easier for Shenzhen residents to visit Hong Kong.

Among other short-haul markets, South and Southeast Asia achieved nearly 40 per cent increase in arrivals, as there were greater travel sentiments resulting from the improved economic conditions and increased flight capacity. Taiwan also recorded growth of 10.4 per cent, a sign that the effect of direct cross-strait flights is stabilising.

Meanwhile, visitor arrivals from the long-haul markets also grew steadily. Overall arrivals from these markets in July 2010 went up by 10.6 per cent compared to the same month last year. As for the emerging markets, Russia, the Middle East and India registered growth of 86.0 per cent, 47.5 per cent and 44.9 per cent respectively, as propelled by such factors as economic recovery and more frequent flights.

In July 2010, overnight visitors exceeded 1.82 million. The figure represented 58.3 per cent of all visitors to Hong Kong and was 35.7 per cent more than in July 2009. The increase was contributed by rise in overnight visitors from most market regions, especially short-haul markets, such as Taiwan (+46.1 per cent), Mainland China (+44.9 per cent) and South and Southeast Asia (+42.7 per cent).

Cumulatively, between January and July this year, overnight visitors amounted to 11.3 million, or 56.6 per cent of all visitors to Hong Kong, a year-on-year increase of 23.3 per cent.