Last year, Hong Kong residents made over 2 million personal trips to destinations outside Guangdong, and spent there a total of HK$9 billion or HK$3380 per person per trip. They represent, respectively, 5% by number and 27.5% by expenditure of all personal trips to mainland China by Hong Kong residents.

In 2007, Hong Kong residents made 7.8% more or 46.8 million personal trips to mainland China, but spending grew faster by 10% to HK$32 billion. Around 54% of these trips went to Shenzhen and the remaining 40% to other cities in the Guangdong. They spent HK$23 billion in the province, or an average of HK$520 per trip per person.

In addition, Hong Kong residents made 23 million business trips to mainland China last year, bringing the grand total of all trips to 70 million. Over 90% of these trips were FIT, and industry estimated that number this year will continue rising by 10%, as more people in Hong Kong are working on five-days-week. Over 6,600 overseas companies have set up branches in Hong Kong, majority of them with responsibility for the region which further underlines Hong Kong’s importance as source market of business travelers.

For destinations outside Guangdong and cities in the province other than Shenzhen, Hong Kong thus offers great growth potential, especially transports are getting more convenient and cheaper as there are now more budget direct flights and faster rail services to various cities from Hong Kong and Shenzhen.

ITE & ITE MICE well cover the Hong Kong and some overseas market. 65% of our 13000 trade and corporate visitors during the two professional days this year came from Hong Kong, while 15% from different parts of Asia. More importantly, exhibitors gave our travel fair “a high mark, especially for its quality of buyers”, according to media report after interviewing our exhibitors.

A survey of our public visitors, who totaled 56000, in the two public days this year, found 37% of the respondents made at least three overnight leisure trips in the past twelve months, and another 33% twice a year. Also, over 70% of them prefer traveling in FIT or tailored made groups. Travelers from Hong Kong, who on average have high per capita income and visa free accesses to many countries, are understandably of great interest. ITE & ITE MICE 2008 drew over 650 exhibitors from 50 countries and regions, CNTA is our long term supporter and organize pavilion with around 90 booths every year.