Visitors from mainland China have become the largest group of tourists to Hong Kong and they spend more per person than any other tourist group,China News Service reported today.

The number of mainland tourists increased by 22 percent in January from a year earlier.The increase led all those from other areas.

Some 4.4-million mainland tourists visited Hong Kong last year,34 percent of the total visitors.

The average expenditure per person,about 5,000 HK dollars,increased by 7 percent over the previous year and for the first time topped that of US tourists.HK officials said mainland tourists have become essential to HK's tourism industry and they believe there will be a considerable increase in the number of mainland tourists this year.

The total number of tourists to HK from all areas of the world was predicted to increase 7.9 percent this year.

(eastday.com March 7, 2002)