Visitor arrivals in Hong Kong jumped by 8.3 percent in January from the same period last year, providing a further boost to the city’s tourism industry.

Some 1.89 million people visited Hong Kong in January, the highest level ever recorded for the month and up from 1.75 million arrivals in January 2004, Hong Kong’s tourism board said Tuesday.

However, the number of visitors from the mainland fell 4.5 percent to 1.07 million in January as last year’s figures were boosted by the Chinese New Year holidays. The holiday fell in January last year but in February this year.

The number of visitors from Taiwan also decreased 3.6 percent for the same reason.

The number of visitors from Australia, New Zealand and the South Pacific jumped 48.1 percent, Africa and Middle East 44.6 percent and the Americas 37.8 percent.

Clara Chong, executive director of the tourism board, said the board had set a target of 22.9 million arrivals for this year.

It is predicting modest growth for this year and another surge in 2006 after the opening of a Disneyland theme park in the territory later this year.

The average hotel occupancy rate in January reached 88 percent, with average room rates rising 23 percent year on year to HK$906 (US$116) a night.

Hong Kong hosted a record 21.8 million visitors last year as tourists from key markets such as the mainland and the United States streamed into the city.

The territory has been a popular destination for mainland Chinese tourists after the Central Government eased travel restrictions on its citizens, providing a boost to retailers, restaurant owners and hoteliers.

(Shenzhen Daily March 2, 2005)