Background
The total tourism expenditure associated to inbound tourism reached HK$117.3 billion in 2006. Overall visitor arrivals to Hong Kong in 2006 increased by 8.1% to 25.25 million, which was lower than what the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) had expected. The HKTB had initial expectations of 27 million visitor arrivals. Visitor arrivals from Mainland China exceeded 13.5 million. Arrivals in December 2006 exceeded 2.4 million, setting an outright record for a single month.Along with the strong growth in the number of Mainland visitors, most other long and short-haul markets are also performing healthily with double-digit growth over 2006. Among long-haul markets, Europe, Africa and the Middle East took the lead with arrivals of 1,916,861, an 11.1% increase that made this Hong Kong's best-performing market region in 2006.
While facing increasing competition from Mainland cities and Macau, The Hong Kong Tourism Board work closely with authorities and trade to make Hong Kong an essential component in all combo and multi-destination itineraries.
Accommodation and length of stay
In December 2006, there were 612 hotels and tourist guest houses in Hong Kong, with 52,512 rooms. The average occupancy rate across all categories of hotels and tourist guesthouses was 87% for the whole of 2006, an one-percentage-point growth compared with 2005 regardless of the 7.4% increase in Hong Kong's room supply between December 2005 and December 2006. During 2006, 62.7% of all visitors stayed one night or longer, which is a trend reflecting Hong Kong's increasing importance as a regional transport hub.
Tourism Commission
The Tourism Commission was established in May 1999 to promote Hong Kong as Asia's premier international city for all visitors. A Tourism Strategy Group, comprising representatives from the Government, the HKTB and various sectors of the tourism industry has been established to advise the Government on tourism development from a strategic perspective.
Attractions and facilities
Almost any districts of Hong Kong can be considered a tourist destination. The following items are areas generally marked as main attractions.
The night view of Hong Kong, Kowloon and Victoria Harbour from the top of Victoria Peak
The night view of Hong Kong, Kowloon and Victoria Harbour from the top of Victoria Peak
A night shot of the Peak Tower on Victoria Peak
A night shot of the Peak Tower on Victoria Peak
The view of Hong Kong, Kowloon and Victoria Harbour from the top of Victoria Peak.
The view of Hong Kong, Kowloon and Victoria Harbour from the top of Victoria Peak.
The Peak Tower from Peak Road. The entrance to the Peak Galleria is to the right.
The Peak Tower from Peak Road. The entrance to the Peak Galleria is to the right.
Peak Tram approaching the Peak Tower.
Peak Tram approaching the Peak Tower.
Road junction at Peak Tower. From left : Peak Road, the Peak Lookout Restaurant, Harlech Road (with street vendor), Mount Austin Road (with taxi), Lugard Road.
Road junction at Peak Tower. From left : Peak Road, the Peak Lookout Restaurant, Harlech Road (with street vendor), Mount Austin Road (with taxi), Lugard Road.
Victoria Peak (traditional Chinese: 太平山頂) is a mountain in Hong Kong. It is also documented as The Peak locally, and Mount Austin. The mountain is located in the western half of the Hong Kong Island. With an altitude of 552 m, it is the highest mountain on the island, although far from the highest Tai Mo Shan in the territory. It is also is known to have the highest land value in the world, with many of the Super-Rich residing here. Because of its view, history and spectacular location Victoria Peak is strongly attached with an air of prestige.
The actual summit of Victoria Peak is occupied by a radio telecommunications facility and is closed to the public. However the surrounding area comprises a mixture of publicly accessible parkland, and high value residential land, and it is this area that is normally meant by the name The Peak. The Peak offers spectacular views over central Hong Kong, the harbor and surrounding islands, and is a major tourist attraction.
Stanley, Hong Kong
Stanley is a town and a tourist attraction in Hong Kong, China. It is a peninsula on the southeastern part of Hong Kong Island. It is east of Repulse Bay and west of Shek O, adjacent to Chung Hom Kok. Administratively, it is part of the Southern District.The proper Chek Chue refers to the village town but Stanley generally refers to all the surrounding areas of the peninsula after the beginning of British rule and native Cantonese name Chek Chue became synonym to Stanley.
Victoria Harbour
The harbour is famous for its spectacular panoramic views, and is in itself a top tourist attraction. It is a natural focal point of the territory, and considered a crucial natural geographical element for city dwellers. This sense of geographical attachment is most notably demonstrated in recent years, when the Government's efforts to undertake reclamation projects in the harbour were met with widespread popular protests, despite reclamation work having taken place in the harbour for the past one and a half centuries.
Manager Review
As if a trip to Hong Kong isn’t mind-blowing enough, you can now also experience the magic of Mickey Mouse and make your dreams become even more truer at Disneyland. Opened back in 2005, this park has now become a staple piece on the rack of must-do Hong Kong attractions. There are four theme parks within Disneyland with each offering a wide range of quality family entertainment.
Main Street, U.S.A.
Have you ever dreamed of traveling back in time to experience small town Americana? Think bowler hats and old-style picket fence architecture and you probably have a mental picture close-enough to the reality of Main Street, U.S.A. This introductory area of the park brings typical early 20th century American culture town to life. Listen to the singing barber shop boys or take a ride on a steam engine - you would be forgiven for believing you’d stepped into a corny time machine.
Adventureland
For those looking for something more ’adventurous’ there is Adventureland. Scream in unison with the crowds as you discover the surprises waiting for you on the riverboat cruise or get marooned on the desert island in the middle of the river. Of course there are also many legacies of Disney’s timeless classics, with shows such as The Lion King and Winne The Pooh.
Fantasyland
Relive your fondest childhood memories and meet your favorite characters like Winnie the Pooh, Mickey Mouse, and many others that require no introduction. You may also spin in a storybook cup or be swept away by Cinderella’s carriage. Fantasyland is a fairy tale waiting to come true.
Tomorrowland
Explore the limitless mystery that is the universe at Tomorrowland. Begin your own adventure on a rocket through the atmosphere on your own spaceship, or team up with Buzz Lightyear to save the galaxy!
Sweet dreams are never enough. Stay at the heart of the magic and follow your dreams. There are Hong Kong Disneyland Hotel and Disney’s Hollywood Hotel.
FASTPASS:
Visiting Disneyland is like visiting a mini-country. On a one day trip it is best to fully utilize the limited time and enjoy as many of your favourite attractions as possible. Plan your itinerary ahead of time in order to make the most of the day. Nothing is more time consuming and irritating than waiting in a long queue. Pick up a Fast Pass for the attractions so you can book yourself on a ride, walk around and enjoy other sites, and then return at the given time without having to queue at all.
Activities:
Disney on Parade
Disney on Parade begins in fantasyland near the entrance of Storybook Theatre. It starts at either 1:00pm or 3:30pm depending on the closing time of the park. Try to arrive 15 minutes early in order to secure a spot with a choice view.
“Disney in the Stars” Fireworks
“Disney in the Stars” fireworks are shown every night at 7:00pm or 8:00pm depending on the closing time of the park. Arrive 15 minutes early at the square in front of the Sleeping Beauty Castle at Fantasyland. Witness the sky transform into a beautiful piece of art.
Ticket Prices
- Adults: regular HK$295, peak HK$350
- Children (aged 3 to 11): regular HK$210, peak HK$250
- Seniors (65 or above): regular HK$170, peak HK$200
- Children under 3 years old: free admission
* Peak days include weekends, Hong Kong public holidays, summer school holidays in July and August, and the Golden Week holidays in May and October.
Where to buy tickets:
(1) At Hong Kong Disneyland Ticket Express
- MTR Hong Kong Station Tung Chung line concourse.
- Up to 90 days in advance
- Open daily from 9:00am to 9:00pm
(2) Online booking (To pick up at the Ticket Express counter):
(3) Reservation Center:
- Reserve tickets as a hotel guest, parking availability is guaranteed
- Tel: (852) 1-830-830
- Hours: Daily from 9:00am to 6:00pm
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(4) Your local travel agency: Purchase tickets as part of your Hong Kong travel package
(5) At Hong Kong Disneyland main entrance: From 9:00am until the park closes
How to get there:
At Sunny Bay MTR station, take the exclusive Disneyland Resort line to Disneyland Resort Station.
Tips:
1. Check the daily schedule of the park at Guest Relations on the day of your visit for more information about that day’s shows and event times, including any revisions to schedules. Make reference to the daily schedule of the park before you start your journey:
2. Purchase Disneyland Resort Line 1-Day Pass.
A combination ticket featuring Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy is available at the MTR Hong Kong Station Tung Chung line concourse. A discount is given on the MTR round trip ticket which costs HK$50 on top of the normal price of a park ticket. Regular HK$345. Peak HK$400.
3. Collect tickets booked online.
Travelers who have booked park tickets online, please remember to bring the confirmation email (or the confirmation code) and also the credit card you made payment with.
4. Get a FASTPASS.
Some visitors may want to consider getting a FASTPASS for all of the attractions at the beginning of their Disneyland journey. However, it is often not easy to predict your designated return time for to each attraction, and times may clash with each other. A better option is to obtain the FASTPASS of Buzz Lightyear Astro Blasters and Space Mountain at the same time, as both of them are located at Tommorowland.
Did you know?:
- Hong Kong Disneyland is the only Disneyland in the world that has a real-life stunning mountain and sea view as a backdrop. To increase the park’s natural beauty, more than 18,000 trees representing more than 300 different species have been planted in Hong Kong Disneyland. The trees are mainly from China, Australia, Thailand and Malaysia. The oldest one is a 100 year old Brachychiton Rupestris that is only be found in Australia.
- Specially designed Hong Kong Disneyland Fairy Tale Weddings packages are available in Disneyland. A Disney Professional Wedding Planner can help you plan your romantic “Happily-ever-after” with your loved one.
