Big spenders boost Hong Kong
Hong Kong isn’t complaining about the strength of the Aussie dollar – it boosted spending by Australians in Hong Kong last year.
The average spend by an Australian visitor last year was HKG$9,328, 20% more than in 2010, making them the second biggest international spenders in Hong Kong after the Russians.
"Visitors from Australian were using the strength of the dollar to upgrade their hotels, spend more on dining and staying longer," said Andrew Clark, regional director of the Hong Kong Tourist Board.
Meetings and event visitors to Hong Kong reached 1.56 million last year, up nine percent. Visitors from Australia and New Zealand topped 51,000, up 5.8%.
Another significant influence keeping Hong Kong visitor traffic healthy is the emergence of neighbor Macau as a vibrant entertainment hub.
"The awareness of Macau is much greater now than it was six or seven years ago," said Clark. "People are intrigued by Macau.
"They want to see all the new hotel and casino development, and this gives them another reason to visit Hong Kong before going to Macau for a short visit."
Hong Kong is expecting another boost next year when the new cruise terminal opens its first berth at Kai Tak, previously home to the international airport.
Ian Jarrett
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