Year-end figures published by the Hong Kong Tourism Board show a significant
rise in overseas MICE arrivals during 2006.In the conventions and exhibitions market, the total number of events rose
only marginally by 1.4%, however the number of overseas visitors attending
these events climbed by 23.4% to 779,324. Almost 170,000 of these (22%) were
from Europe, Africa and the Middle East ? the second largest inbound market
after mainland China. The increase in visitors can be partly attributed to
the opening of Hong Kong?s newest exhibition centre, AsiaWorld-Expo, in
December 2005.

The number of visitors to Hong Kong for corporate events reached almost
828,511, a 14.12% increase over 2005. Of these visitors, 12.8% were from
Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

In total, 1,607,835 international MICE visitors entered Hong Kong during
2006 ? a rise of 18.45% on the 2005 figure of 1,357,359.

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