Visitor arrivals topped 26.7 million in the first half of this year, the Tourism Board said on Thursday.

That is a 13 percent increase year on year.

Visits by mainland travellers were up 16 percent, accounting for 77 percent of the total.

Non-mainland visitor numbers came in around six million, a 5 percent rise, with those from long-haul markets such as France, Canada and Australia up 20 percent or more.

Visitors from short-haul markets dropped 2 percent as higher fuel costs prompted certain airlines to reduce flight frequencies and as currencies in these markets depreciated against the Hong Kong dollar.

Regarding tourism involving meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions, the board said more than 100 large-scale events had taken place in the city during the first six months, and overnight arrivals by such visitors climbed 12 percent between January and May.

The board said Hong Kong is set to host a "broader array of international conventions and exhibitions" in the coming months, which is expected to attract more high value-added overnight visitors and their families, further boosting tourism spending.

It has launched a new global campaign "Only in Hong Kong" to attract more visitors.

The board said it would continue to stage mega events and work closely with the tourism and related sectors to encourage visitors to stay longer in Hong Kong, to inject greater momentum into the economy.



Edited by Edmond Fong