Hong Kong is to offer twin centre breaks with the Guangxi district in China in a bid to drive tourist numbers.
Anthony Lau, the executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, said the destination has already out-performed the global market, which fell 8% in the first seven months of the year, having attracted around 370,000 Brits over the same period, the same as the year before.
However, he is hoping to increase this next year as the destination draws up itineraries for twin centre breaks with the southern Chinese province, which is an hour and a half’s flight away.
Lau said: “There’s still a lot of uncertainty with the economy and we will have to wait and see the effects it has but I’m certain that working together with our travel trade partners and airlines we will continue to provide attractive packages.
“An average stay in Guangxi is two to three days, if people really want to explore it they can stay up to a week just as in Hong Kong.”
He added Hong Kong is well placed to accept an increase in the amount of visitors. Eleven new hotels have been built this year with an additional 1,552 rooms, bringing the total number to more than 60,000, while a further 25 new hotels will open in 2011, with an additional 4,159 rooms.