Bangkok--5 Jan--Francomasia
Figures released by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) showed that visitor arrivals in November 2008 reached 2,421,457, 1.1% less than in November 2007. This brings cumulative arrivals for January-November 2008 to 26,723,008, 5.3% ahead of the same period last year.
Below summarises visitor arrivals from different market regions:
- Mainland China: 1,363,167 (+5.6%)
- South & Southeast Asia: 262,682 (-3.6%)
- Taiwan: 170,969 (-5.0%)
- North Asia: 173,456 (-14.0%)
- Australia, New Zealand & South Pacific: 57,920 (-4.8%)
- Europe, Africa & the Middle East: 191,362 (-10.9%)
- The Americas: 148,176 (-16.9%)
Out of the total Mainland arrivals in November 2008, 749,303 or 55.0% arrived under the Individual Visit Scheme, 11.8% more than in November 2007. Cumulatively, there were 8,666,329 arrivals under the Individual Visit Scheme in January — November 2008, 12.4% more than for the same period in 2007.
Overnight Vs Same-Day In-Town Visitors
Overall, some 59.0% of all visitors to Hong Kong in November stayed in the city for at least one night, 1.5 percentage points lower than for the same month last year. The remaining 41.0% same-day in-town visitors either returned home or left for another destination on the same day as arrival.
November 2008 Hotel Occupancy
Hotel occupancy across all categories of hotels in November 2008 was 88%, five percentage points lower than in November 2007. The geographic locations with the highest occupancy were Yau Ma Tei/Mong Kok, where hotels recorded average occupancy rate of 92%. The average achieved hotel room rate across all hotel categories was HK$1,228, 11.2% lower than in November 2007.
Note:
Visitor arrivals mentioned in this release include both overnight visitors and same-day in-town visitors. According to the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), visitors are divided into two categories:
(i) tourists or overnight visitors, if the trip involves an overnight stay; and
(ii) same-day visitors or excursionists, if the trip does not involve an overnight stay.
Media can download the press release from the HKTB’s DiscoverHongKong.com website:
http://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/about-hktb/press-releases.html
For media enquiries, please contact:
Khun Wandee Lerdsupongkit
HKTB Press Information
Tel. 02233 4329/30 Fax. 02236 8030
Email: [email protected]