More than 410,000 people from the Chinese mainland are taking Spring Festival holidays in Hong Kong, according to the Immigration Department of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

Tourist numbers are expected to pick up by 25 per cent compared with those for last Spring Festival season, said an official with the department. The travellers will generate tourism income of approximately 2 billion Hong Kong dollars (US$259 million) for the holiday week.

The official said since the second day of the Lunar New Year, airports and customs houses have seen tremendous numbers of Chinese from the mainland flocking to Hong Kong for shopping, relative-visiting and sightseeing.

On February 13, the second day of the Chinese Lunar New Year, more than 350 tourist groups entered Hong Kong by air, up 30 per cent compared with the numbers for last year on the same day, according to the Hong Kong media.

Traditionally, most Chinese people choose to stay at home and spend the first day of the new year with family members. From the second day on, they begin to go outside, visiting relatives and friends or travelling.

Chinese people are allowed to take days off from the 12th to the 18th of February for China's biggest traditional festival.

In the Macao Special Administrative Region nearby, tourism authorities noted that improvements in law and order have boosted tourists' confidence in Macao, Xinhua reported.

The vast majority of hotels in Macao have been long booked up, with charges double the normal rate or even higher. Restaurants are enjoying booming business around the clock and people frequently have to queue for tables.

Mainland tourism authorities said visiting tourist attractions was among Chinese people's top preferences for the Lunar New Year holiday.

Holiday makers have been flocking to the attractions across the nation and the places have been doing a booming business.

"In the last few days, travellers have been descending on tourist attractions and the number is expected to quickly pick up during the second half of the holiday-week," said Wang Jianshe, an official from the Tourism Promotion Department under the China National Tourism Administration over a telephone interview with China Daily.

Wang also said the number of overseas travellers coming to the Chinese mainland has increased a lot recently because they viewed the holiday season as a golden chance to learn about Chinese culture and traditions.

(China Daily February 16, 2002)