Hong Kong's record-breaking 21.8 million visitor arrivals last year brought a substantial boost to the economy, with total expenditure associated to inbound tourism reaching $91.8 billion.

Both major components of tourism expenditure also recorded strong increases. Payments made by visitors for goods and services consumed in Hong Kong grew to $69.6 billion. Of this, 55% was contributed by a record 12.2 million Mainland arrivals.

Despite an increase in overall destination consumption expenditure by overnight Mainland visitors to $33.9 billion, per capita spending for this market fell to $4,355. This was due largely to the radically different behaviour of visitors travelling under the Individual Visit Scheme.

Across all markets, the destination expenditure contributed by overnight visitors was $61.1 billion, while same-day in-town visitors spent $5.6 billion.

Receipts of Hong Kong-based carriers for the cross-boundary transportation of non-resident visitors by air, sea or land also surged to $22.3 billion.

Similar trend

Tourism Board Executive Director Clara Chong said the substantial increase in last year's expenditure is encouraging and reflected the growing contribution made by tourism to Hong Kong's economy.

She said the Individual Visit Scheme has given Hong Kong the opportunity to increase further the number of Mainland visitors, especially at low season periods, and to stimulate impulsive consumption to maximise the overall returns for Hong Kong.

Ms Chong expected to see a similar trend maintained this year, with continued growth in Individual Visit Scheme travel having some dilution effect on per capita spending, but overall arrivals growth bringing a further increase in total tourism expenditure.