Hong Kong's 25.25 million visitor arrivals last year brought a substantial boost to the economy, with total expenditure reaching 117.3 billion HK dollars, the Hong Kong Tourism Board said Monday.

The board said the financial contribution from inbound tourism to Hong Kong's economy in 2005 and 2006 should exceed projections by around 10 billion HK dollars.

The tourism industry's focus on high-yield visitor segments has resulted in a rise of around 30 percent in arrivals to conventions and exhibitions in 2006, compared with 2004.

Selina Chow, the board's chairman, said the increased spending and growth from targeted segments reflect the emphasis on high- yield visitors.

"We will continue to focus on attracting high-yield visitors in order to increase the contribution made by tourism to the overall economy," she added.

Source: Xinhua