HONG KONG is facing the largest visitor invasion in its history, Hong Kong Hotels Association executive director Manuel Woo said.
Mr Woo said hotels need to be ready to cope with the expected influx by providing specific tourist and hotel services to visitors from the mainland.
His comments come in the wake of comments from China's National Tourism Administration director Yang Liuyin, who warned such an influx should not be allowed to get out of control, because it requires large amounts of hard currency.
Mr Yang said the number of mainland Chinese leaving on holiday grew by 22.9 per cent to 1.46 million last year.
Analysts said Mr Yang's comments could indicate that China would tighten the issue of travel visas.
A higher standard of living has made overseas travel accessible, especially for those in the coastal areas and large cities, where personal income is relatively high and people can afford international fares.