Update | Annual tourists to Hong Kong could rise to 70 million in three years, commission says

Hong Kong could receive 70 million tourists annually within three years and 100 million within a decade, mostly from the mainland, according to Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Gregory So Kam-leung.

So claimed yesterday the city's services could cope with more visitors but admitted there could be problems, such as congestion on the MTR.

The forecast brought an angry response from critics who said officials had failed to take into account the impact of increased tourism on residents and should set limits. They also predicted more conflict between locals and mainland tourists.

Based on "rather conservative assumptions" of a steady rise in mainland visitors - who numbered 40.8 million last year - and a slight increase in overseas travellers, a government report forecast an increase to 70 million in 2017 from 54.3 million last year and to 100 million in 2023.

So said an assessment of control points, tourist attractions and public transport indicated the increase would not overwhelm capacity in 2017 but did not mention the effect in 2023.

As Hong Kong was an open port, "we cannot and should not set a limit to the number of visitors", he said, adding that tourism accounted for 4.5 per cent of the city's gross domestic product and provided 230,000 jobs.