Hong Kong Ocean Park announced Tuesday its attendance record has reached 4.5 million within this fiscal year, breaking last year's record.

 

Welcoming the 4.5 millionth visitor of Ocean Park in a ceremony on Tuesday, Chairman of the park Allan Zeman said that in just about 10 months within this fiscal year beginning July 1, 2006, the park surpassed its previous attendance record of 4.38 million, and has reached a new height as the record of 4.5 million was first broken.

 

"We have topped our records for three successive years, and we are confident the trend will continue into the future," said Zeman.

 

The lucky guest, the Cheng's family who visit the park almost once every week, received a giant gift box filled with panda toys and souvenirs from the park's gift shop.

 

Of the 4.5 million visitors, 48 percent were from the Chinese mainland and 45 percent from the local, Zeman said, adding that during the Labor Day Golden Week in early May, mainland visitors' attendance was 157,000, which surpassed last year's 123,000.

 

When asked about the latest condition of the pandas pairs, a gift presented to Hong Kong by the Central Government of China which arrived at the park last month, Zeman said that the cubs are doing well and they have gained weights.

 

"The park will double the amount of attractions in the coming five years," said Zeman. The park has started a 5.5 billion six-year redevelopment project which is expected to be finished in 2010.

 

Forbes Traveler, a famous international travel magazine, recently ranked Ocean Park in their list of the top 50 most visited tourist attractions in the world.

 

(Xinhua News Agency May 16, 2007)