Tourists from the Chinese Mainland are expected to contribute 28 percent of all retail sales in Hong Kong this year.

Chairman of the Chinese Committee of the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce, Li Dazhuang says by the end of July, Hong Kong received more than 2.6 million tourists from mainland, spending close to HK$16 billion while staying in the region.

The central government gave permission for individual mainland residents to travel to Hong Kong in late July 2003.

(CRI.com September 20, 2004)