CHINA. About 10.97 million visitors arrived in China in April 2006, up +7% year-on-year, according to Customs authority data.
Japanese visitors are starting to return after a period of political wrangling over Japan’s war past. Arrivals for this group registered an increase of +6.8% for April to 274,855.
Arrivals from Hong Kong residents hit 6.7 million, up +13.4%, while visits from Macau residents fell -8.9% to 1.96 million. Taiwanese registered 383,327 visits for the month, up +3.5%, while arrivals from foreigners reached 1.9 million, up +5.6%.
South Korean arrival numbers were stable, edging up +0.8% to 296,361.
Between January and April, the total arrival figure reached 39.7 million, up +3.2% year-on-year.
Visits from Hong Kong residents reached 24.1 million, up +6.5%, while visits from Taiwanese grew to 1.4 million, up +5.1%, and visits from foreigners increased +6.0% to 6.5 million. Visits from Macau residents fell -8.1% to 7.7 million.
All of China’s 16 main arrivals markets posted increases, other than Malaysia (-1.3%) and Japan (-2.9%).
Arrivals from Japan reached 1.1 million, a drop of -2.9% compared to the previous year.
South Korea continued to register the highest number of visits, up +3.3% for the period to just under 1.2 million.
MORE STORIES ON ARRIVALS TO CHINA
Inbound travel numbers to China fall in March as Japanese business remains muted – 02/05/2006
Arrivals into China grow, but Japanese visitor numbers remain soft – 02/04/06
