"The number of mainland tourists to Hong Kong will hit a record high as the new policy facilitates mainlanders there," said Fronny Chung, marketing communications manager of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) Beijing Office.

From January next year, the quota system for the Hong Kong Group Tour Scheme will be abolished and the number of mainland travel agencies organizing tours to Hong Kong will be increased from the current four to 67.

Statistics show that during the past National Day holiday, the number of mainland travelers to Hong Kong hit a new record, with remarkable increases from Sichuan and Chongqing.

Over 3.8 million mainland visitors went to Hong Kong last year, accounting for 29 percent of the total. On average, they spent 4, 900 Hong Kong dollars during their visits, ranking first among tourists.

Chung said that the HKTB has already signed agreements with Sichuan, Xinjiang and Beijing, in order to enhance information exchanges and personnel training.

The frequent exchanges also promote economic and cultural cooperation between the mainland and Hong Kong, according to an official with the China National Tourism Administration.

"I believe that when Hong kong's Disneyland is completed in 2005, there will be even more mainland tourists there," Chung added.

(People's Daily 10/15/2001)