The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced on Friday that provisional total arrivals in 2010 reached 36.03 million, up 21.8 percent from a year earlier, while over 60 percent of those were from the mainland.

According to statistics, Hong Kong witnessed about 22.47 million arrivals from the mainland last year, up 27 percent from 2009.

Meanwhile, the number of short-haul arrivals (excluding the mainland) were 8.72 million in 2010, up 16.5 percent and the long-haul arrivals recorded 4.84 million, up 9.6 percent.

Commenting on the satisfactory growth, HKTB Chairman James Tien said that Hong Kong's tourism experienced a strong rebound in 2010 following the severe blow dealt by the financial tsunami and human swine influenza in 2009.

"The result could be attributed to the collaborative efforts of the government, the local travel trade and the HKTB in rolling out various promotions, such as the Hong Kong Dragon Boat Carnival, the Wine and Dine Festival and the New Year Countdown Celebrations," Tien said.

Looking into 2011, Tien believed that Asia will be the key driver in the global tourism growth.

"The HKTB will maintain our close partnership with the travel trade to uphold Hong Kong's image as an international, cosmopolitan city," Tien said.