The Hong Kong Tourism Development Board (HKTB) said Thursday the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region is bracing itself for 360,000 tourists during the Chinese New Year, of which 200,000 are from the Chinese mainland.
The estimated number of Chinese mainland visitors represents an increase of 30 percent when compared to last year, said Selina Chow, the chair of the HKTB when attending an event to promote the Southern District of the HKSAR as a sightseeing spot.
Chow said the Chinese New Year period is HKSAR's peak season for the tourism industry, with the number of inbound tourists peaking off on the third Chinese New Year's day. She added that 700 Hong Kong Tours of mainland travelers are expected to travel down to the HKSAR.
"Given the relatively long Chinese New Year holiday period on the Chinese mainland, it is expected that Hong Kong will still enjoy a handsome number of tourists even after the 10th day of the new year."
Meanwhile, Chow said the HKSAR Immigration Department will be liaising with Guangdong Province and the Shenzhen Special Economic Zone in order to cooperate to ensure the smooth flows of tourists at border checkpoints, adding that the HKTB will also dispatch more manpower to assist tourists at various checkpoints.
(Xinhua News Agency January 31, 2003)
