The ongoing Hong Kong Mega Showcase and Hong Kong Food Festival have drawn many tourists from China's mainland and overseas to Hong Kong. During the Christmas holiday, almost all of the hotels are full. Managers said this situation is expected to continue till the Lunar New Year which begins on Jan. 22.

According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), the tourists arrivals in October hit 1.7 million, the highest monthly arrival on record. This showed that Hong Kong has recovered from the ravage of the SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak.

Tourism is one of the main sectors of Hong Kong's economy. When SARS hit Hong Kong in early spring, Hong Kong became the "mask city" and tourists kept their distance from Hong Kong.

Fortunately, on June 23, 2003, the World Health Organization announced the Hong Kong's delisting as a SARS affected area. The Global Tourism Revival Campaign, initiated by the Hong Kong Tourism Bureau (HKTB), was put into operation immediately. The HKTB ran subsequently a two-month "Hong Kong Welcomes you" promotion, which started from July 13 and last to Sept. 15. It aimed at drawing visitors through irresistible travel offers. The HKTB also launched a series of mega-event to keep Hong Kong in the international spotlight and sustained visit excitement.

The HKTB's promotion efforts have proved to be successful in restoring visitors' confidence and tourists arrivals to pre-SARS level within a short period of time. The central government has lifted restrictions on some mainland cities' residents' individual visit to Hong Kong, which has resulted in a significant increase in mainland visitors in the past months.

The implementation of the Individual Visit Scheme has reinforced Hong Kong's position as the leading tour destination in Asia. Since July 28, residents from a number of Guangdong cities as well as Beijing and Shanghai have been permitted to visit Hong Kong independently. Under the policy, a maximum of 2,000 people a day from each of the cities can make their trips.

The Individual Visit Scheme from the mainland to Hong Kong will be extended to the whole of Guangdong in the next six months, giving a further boost to the city's tourism sector and the economy.

On Dec. 19, Mainland and Hong Kong Closer Tourism Cooperation Agreement was signed. HKTB chairwoman Selina Chow Liang Shuk-yee, who is always optimistic about Hong Kong's tourism industry, said that the agreement signifies closer tourism cooperation and exchange between the mainland and Hong Kong.

According to the HKTB, more than 2 million tourists, mostly from the mainland, are expected to flood into the city over the Christmas and the Lunar New Year period.

Experts said that Hong Kong, a world City which was once gravely hit by SARS, has begun to shine again as a hot spot for tourists.

(Xinhua News Agency December 27, 2003)