Visitor arrivals to Hong Kong reached 2.2 million in January, up 15 percent over last year's same period, an official of Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) said on Monday.

HKTB chairperson Selina Chow told reporters that during Jan. 27 to Feb. 7 or the Chinese Lunar New Year period, Hong Kong received 810,000 tourists, up 17 percent over last Lunar New Year period.

She said, at present, over half of the tourist arrivals to Hong Kong are from the Chinese mainland which has been a very important tourist sourcing market for Hong Kong.

The HKTB is to open its fourth Chinese mainland office in Chengdu City of southwest China's Sichuan Province, in a bid to promote tourism in southwest China.

The HKTB has already set offices in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.

Receiving a total of 23 million tourists in 2005, Hong Kong expects to receive 27 million tourists in 2006, she said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 14, 2006)