Some 496,300 persons usually travelled at least once a week between Hong Kong and the Mainland, according to the results of the second cross-boundary travel survey announced by the Planning Department Tuesday.

This represents an increase of 34.7 percent compared with the findings of the first survey conducted in 1999.

The survey also showed that most of the frequent trip makers were travelling for business, amounting to 220,300 persons or 44.4 percent.

It was followed by travelling for leisure, amounting to 152,600 persons or 30.8 percent.

According to the survey, more than 90 percent of these frequent business and leisure travelers were people living in Hong Kong.

Among them, some 12,500 Hong Kong Residents live in the Mainland and commute back to Hong Kong for work and about 7,200 persons live in Hong Kong and go for work in the Mainland.

( People's Daily May 22, 2002)