Strong consumption power from visitors and local residents boosts the revenue of the Hong Kong shopping festival to reach 1.85 billion Hong Kong dollars over the past two months, a sharp increase of 24 percent compared with last year.

According to the Hong Kong Tourism Board, a historical number of 7,150 dealers participated in this years' Hong Kong shopping festival, which was held from June 25 to August 30.

The event also attracted 4.6 million visits to Hong Kong and generated a revenue of 1.85 billion Hong Kong dollars, an increase of 24 percent compared with last year's 1.5 billion.

Meanwhile, the number of lottery tickets issued this year jumped to six million, compared with five million last year.

Mrs. Chow Liang Shuk Yee, chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board said the achievement made at this year's shopping festival was encouraging and further proved Hong Kong's irresistible attraction as an international shopping city.

The event also prompted the long-distance travels in July to increase nearly 20 percent, with growth in Australia, New Zealand and South Pacific region witnessing 35 percent.

(Chinanews.cn September 7, 2005)