IMMIGRATION AND TOURISM
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The more relaxed atmosphere in China's relations with the rest of the world has had its effects on the numbers of travellers entering and leaving Hong Kong over the Sino-British border at Lo Wu. The figure of 1,449,242 for the year is 62.47 per cent higher than last year's total.
Illegal immigration continued to cause concern, with 17,271 detected as having entered illegally during the year, an increase of 37 per cent on the preceding year. The main sources of illegal entry are China, Macau and the countries of South-East Asia. There has also been a noticeable increase in the number of stateless persons from Burma in transit through Hong Kong to Macau.
Tourism
The year under review has been one of challenge and change. Challenge from neighbouring tourist destinations in South-East Asia who are realising the economic benefits to be gained from the development of a tourist industry, and changes in tourist patterns and trends as indicated by statistics compiled by the Hong Kong Tourist Association.
For the first time, the number of visitors to Hong Kong exceeded one million. The total number of visitors for 1972 was 1,082,253 which is an increase of 19.3 per cent over the previous year. A sample survey conducted by the Hong Kong Tourist Association showed that the average spending per capita by visitors was $1,800, which means that tourists spent about $2,000 million in Hong Kong over the year.
Research in 1972 revealed some interesting new trends in the pattern of tourism. It indicated that Hong Kong is now receiving more young tourists who are less affluent, more adventurous and more demanding than their elder counterparts. In 1972, visitors in the under 35 age bracket totalled 383,118, or 35.4 per cent of the total number of visitors; an increase of 8.6 per cent over the previous year.
There were also changes in the country of origin of tourists. In particular the numbers of Japanese visitors continued to increase while the number of Americans remained approximately the same as last year partly because of the continuing economic recession in the United States. The Japanese numbered 349,212 visitors, representing 32.3 per cent of the total, Americans numbered 212,690, or 19.6 per cent and Australasians accounted for 71,387 visitors for a 6.6 per cent share of the total. There was an increase in 1972 in the number of visitors arriving from Western Europe and the United Kingdom, who accounted for 14.7 per cent of the total number of visitors.
The steady increase in the number of relatively inexpensive charter flights con- tinues to be the single most significant factor affecting the tourist industry. It has a direct influence on many of the trends apparent in 1972 tourist patterns. Travel is no longer restricted to an affluent few and this is introducing a new era in tourism in the South-East Asian region.
In 1972, Hong Kong sought to improve the range and quality of its tourist facilities and attractions. The Hong Kong Tourist Association introduced a wide new