- 6.
Tuesday, November 21, 1972
MORE PEOPLE COMING TO HONG KONG
The Immigration Department has had another record-breaking year.
Travellers receiving immigration clearance at the three points of
entry to Hong Kong (Kai Tak, the harbour, and the land border with China at
Lowu) reached a new high level of over 61⁄2 million.
New records in the amount of business conducted were also set in most
sections of the Documents Division, and in the branch offices, which collectively
dealt with over one million applications for travel documents.
In the 12 months to the end of last March, 3,344,916 people arrived
in Hong Kong and another 3,397,326 left, making a total of 6,742,242 authorised
movements.
In 1970-71, the respective arrival and departure figures were 2,965,064
and 2,936,169, a total of 5,901,233.
In the last quarter of the year authorised movements totalled 2,221,587,
and was the highest number ever recorded in any three-monthly period. It also
represented an increase of 31 per cent over the equivalent period of 1971.
In all, there was a 14.25 per cent increase in traffic this year. But
it was in traffic over the land border at Lowu that the most spectacular increase
of 76 per cent occurred.
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