Tourism growth remains robust in Hong Kong, Macau, China

HONG KONG – Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels identified Hong Kong, Macau and China as the key growth markets in Asia over the next five years, with intra-regional travel predominantly the key driver for growth in the region. This as Jones Lang LaSalle unveiled its latest Asia Digest 2008 – incorporating Hong Kong Digest 2008 and Macau Digest 2008 – in this city yesterday.

Total international visitors to Hong Kong, which includes arrivals from Mainland China and Macau, are expected to reach record levels over the 2008 to 2010 period; Macau will continue to enjoy strong growth in its tourism and hotel industry over the next few years with strong market sentiments; while China, driven by the strength of the economy, an increase in disposable income and the world’s attention on large events such as the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games and 2010 Shanghai Expo, will become the world’s largest inbound tourism market (reaching 100 million), the fourth largest for outbound tourism and the largest for domestic tourism (2.8 billion) by 2015, the report said.