The number of visitors to Macao hit a new record in the first half of this year, with an increase of 15 percent from the same period last year.

Statistics from the Macao Special Administrative Region shows that the city witnesses an influx of 8.92 million tourist from January to June.

The majority of tourists are from Chinese Mainland, followed by Hong Kong and Taiwan.

Among the mainland tourists, more than 2.5 million tour Macao on their own.

Macao has a population of less than 470,000, yet the small city hosts more than 10 million visitors each year.

(Xinhua News Agency July 25, 2005)