Announcing the latest tourism statistics Friday, Selina Chow, chairman of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), said new records were set almost every month in 2002 and all markets saw positive growth.

She said the Chinese mainland is the world's fastest-growing travel market and Hong Kong was ideally placed to benefit from it.

In total, mainland arrivals in 2002 exceeded 6.8 million, a remarkable 53.4 percent increase from the 2001 figure, thanks to the visa relaxation measures and the expansion of Hong Kong tour service among mainland travel agents.

"We have enjoyed some excellent support from the government and different sectors of the community in 2002," said Chow.

"Especially in terms of the cooperation we've seen in organizing the 'City of Life Hong Kong is it!' campaign mega-events and recommendations of the month. These events have certainly played a significant part in bringing additional visitors to Hong Kong and enhancing their experience," she added.

In analysis by individual markets for 2002, the Chinese mainland accounts for 41.2 percent of all arrivals, followed by Taiwan and South & Southeast Asia.

Other markets, including North Asia, the Americas, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand, also registered year-on-year increase ranging from 5.1 percent to 7.8 percent in 2002.

For 2003, the HKTB forecast further growth of 8.4 percent to 17.96 million arrivals, which include 7.86 million arrivals from the Chinese mainland, a growth of 15.2 percent.

In the leisure market, efforts will be placed especially on the family travel and cruise market segments, to pave the way for major infrastructure investments in these areas in the next few years.

Strong emphasis will also be placed on maximizing the contribution of business arrivals, by encouraging business visitors to stay longer and increasing arrivals in the high-yield sectors.

Clara Chong, executive director of the HKTB, said the HKTB's marketing campaign would be built around the four main "product pillars" in which Hong Kong excels, namely shopping; dining; heritage, culture & festivals; and city, harbor & green attractions.

"What really differentiates Hong Kong is its sheer diversity and sophistication. In 2003, we will use the four product pillars, and these key differentiating values, to show people that a visit to Hong Kong is a unique and completely unforgettable experience," she said.

(Xinhua News Agency January 25, 2003)