With clear signs of a tourism revival and hotel occupancy numbers on a rebound, the Hong Kong tourism sector expects another influx of mainland tourists in the upcoming National Day holiday.

"We foresee about 300,000 individual mainland travellers coming to Hong Kong in the holiday, with a majority from the neighbouring Guangdong province looking to visit their relatives and friends in the territory," according to the chairman of the Hong Kong Travel Industry Council Ronnie Yuen, who spoke yesterday at a forum organized by the 17th International Travel Expo (ITE).

He said individual travellers from the mainland spend about HK$8,000 (US$1,026) on average when they come to the SAR, while they are expected to contribute to an approximate 80 per cent rise in hotel occupancy during the Golden Week.

Li Ka-shing, who is touring in Beijing with a business delegation, also said Beijing's role in trying to help Hong Kong out of its economic quagmire was clear. "What the central government has done, everyone can see. Freeing of tourists, CEPA and other measures, all these were done for the good of Hong Kong, to help its economy, employment and its future."

Despite the anticipated boom for the local tourism market, statistics revealed that tourist numbers are likely to fall short of earlier forecasts due to a price increases since August.

The travel industry on the mainland and its local counterpart share the same problems, but Hong Kong has an added advantage of the mainland's outbound market, with the city ranked amongst the top travel destinations for mainland tourists, said Yuen.

"Local hotels have been charging higher prices since August, and this is likely to affect tourism revenue in the coming holiday, with visitors from the mainland staying with their local relatives instead of hotels," he said.

The industry has recorded more than 60,000 travellers from the mainland visiting Hong Kong since the relaxation of travel restrictions in July.

He added that tours from the mainland are likely to be prominent again in the region after an initial surge of individual mainland travellers, as it is less costly than travelling with a tour group.

(HK Edition 09/27/2003 page7)