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Hong Kong residents made an average of 118,904 personal trips a day to the mainland last year - three times the number of mainland visitors to the city.

The latest figures from the Census and Statistics Department also showed that the average number of such trips outstripped those made in 2005 by 8,216 a day.

Total spending  amounted to HK$26.3 billion, a rise of 8.9 per cent from the previous year.

The figures prompted the catering industry to warn that Hong Kong was losing out despite increasing mainland arrivals.

Last year a total of 65.8 million trips were made by Hongkongers,  a rise of three million trips from the previous year. Of these, 34 per cent, or 22.4 million, were business trips. The other 66 per cent, or 43.4 million, were personal trips. This is triple the 13.59 million mainland visitors to the city  last year as reported by the Tourism Board.

On average, Hong Kong residents spent HK$610 per trip on goods and services across the border last year, compared with HK$600 in 2005. They spent an average of HK$290 per person on a same-day trip and HK$780 per overnight trip.

Mainland visitors to the city  spent an average of HK$1,537 per person on a day trip and HK$4,705 per person on an overnight trip last year.

The vice-chairman of the  Catering Industries Association, Thomas Woo Chu,  warned that the figures on spending by mainland tourists  were deceiving and Hong Kong was losing out. 'Everything is expensive here and it is convenient to travel across the border. Many residents prefer to spend up [on the mainland as it is cheaper],' Mr Woo said.

'And mainland tourists are smart. Many don't even stay in hotels here. They go to Shenzhen to stay the night and then come back the next day.'

Mr Woo added that while mainland tourists spent money buying electronics and jewellery, local retailers only made a small profit as middlemen and the manufacturing countries were the winners.

The number of residents' trips  to the mainland last year accounted for 87 per cent of all outbound trips by residents, compared to 78 per cent in 2005.

The majority, 94 per cent, travelled to the mainland by land, while those who travelled by sea and air were 3  and 2  per cent respectively.

Of the total expenditure, 48 per cent, or HK$8.4 billion, was spent on lodging and meals and 40 per cent, or HK$7 billion, was spent on entertainment and transport. Shopping accounted for HK$2.2 billion, or 12 per cent of spending, by residents across the border.

Hitting the road

Last year, total expenditure by Hongkongers on the mainland rose 8.9 per cent to (in HK$) $26.3b

The average expenditure per trip went up from HK$600 in 2005 to $610

The biggest proportion of expenditure went on food and accommodation at 48%

Almost trips were made by land, making up 94%

Source: HK Monthly Digest of Statistics



HK is losing tour cash to mainland, say caterers