In December 2003, Hong Kong welcomed a record-breaking 1.79 million visitors, surpassing the record set only two months earlier in October and bringing the yearly total to a provisional 15.5 million, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB).

HKTB Executive Director Clara Chong said Saturday that as one of the major measures to sustain the momentum of tourism revival, the coming year of Monkey will be celebrated in a spectacular style with Hong Kong's first-ever Chinese Lunar New Year or Spring Festival night parade.

She said, "We are strongly encouraged by the results and are confident that the coming parade will help sustain the momentum of the tourism revival."

Organized by the HKTB, the 2004 Cathay Pacific International Chinese Lunar New Year Night Parade is set to take place in the first night of the Lunar New Year, on Jan. 22, on a completely new route in Tsim Sha Tsui.

As the fifth mega-event of HKTB's Global Tourism Revival Campaign, which dovetails with the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government's economic relaunch program, the parade is intended to lure more visitors to Hong Kong.

The HKTB executive director said that for the first time in its nine-year history, the parade would take place in the evening and would feature a dazzling combination of illuminated floats, local and international performing groups and specially designed lighting effects.

She said Hong Kong has invited a total of 17 performing groups from 11 countries, the largest number of overseas performing groups since 1998, to take part in the parade.

She said Hong Kong's famous tourist location Tsim Sha Tsui offers not only popular activities and attractions for the visitors, but also the magnificent views of Victoria Harbor.

The event will be televised live in Hong Kong.

(Xinhua News Agency January 12, 2004)