Warm welcome: Tourism Board Executive Director Clara Chong welcomes Mainland visitors at Lo Wu boundary crossing.

Over 5.66 million Mainlanders visited Hong Kong in the first six months of the year, exceeding the Tourism Board's half-yearly target of 5.4 million.

Among them, 1.6 million were individual visitors, surpassing the board's half-yearly target of 1.53 million.

It means that on average, one in every four Mainlanders came to Hong Kong under the Individual Visit Scheme.

10 million landmark hit

Led by the robust performance of the Mainland market, total arrivals exceeded the half-yearly target to reach the 10 million landmark for the first time, representing a significant milestone for Hong Kong's tourism.

Executive Director Clara Chong said the board will sustain its efforts to drive the growth of different market regions and maintain a balanced portfolio of visitors.

"With the summer vacation in July and August, Golden Week in October and the travel peak season in winter, we are confident of achieving the board's yearly target," she said.

150m Mainlanders eligible to visit as individuals

Some 150 million residents throughout Guangdong province and 11 other Mainland cities are eligible to apply for the Individual Visit Scheme.

A board survey has found that over 50% of individual visitors intend to travel to Hong Kong at least once every two to three months, making them an important target of the repeat visitor segment.

Among the individual visitors, 75% are overnight visitors. The primary purpose of their visit is vacation, followed by shopping and family reunion.

Strategies target different regions

Targeting different regions, the board will develop and implement appropriate marketing strategies.

For the relatively distant regions, the board will enhance Hong Kong's exposure and reputation and residents' awareness of the city by reinforcing its advertising campaigns, co-operating with the media, increasing consumer promotions, and collaborating with the travel trade on tactical promotions.

It will also strengthen visitors' confidence in shopping by promoting the Quality Tourism Services scheme aggressively.