Hong Kong welcomed record 48.6 million international visitors in 2012, as mainland Chinese arrivals caused a tourism boom in the city.
According to data released today (28 January 2013) by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), the arrivals total was 16.0% greater than in 2011, but the number of mainland Chinese visitors surged 24.2% to 34.9m – almost three-quarters (71.8%) of the total.
The growth of mainland Chinese arrivals however, helped offset weak figures from elsewhere. Arrivals from new markets, including Russia, India and the Middle East, fell 6.0% to 956,036 while the number of visitors from major long-haul markets also fell 1.4% to 4.27m. Taiwanese arrivals dropped 2.8% to 2.01m, while other short-haul markets increased just 1.0% to 6.39m.
Of the total arrivals to Hong Kong in 2012, only 23.77m (48.9%) stayed in the city overnight, although this was 6.5% more than in 2011.