Bargain basement Hong Kong

Better bargain prices are to blame for a drop in Hong Kong's income from tourism, says the Hong Kong Tourist Association.

Last year Hong Kong's total tourism receipts showed travellers spent $NZ13.77 billion there; a drop of 4.1 per cent on the previous year.

"Our income might be slightly less than in 1998 but the cause is lower hotel and retail prices," said association director James Hall.

"The better prices actually stimulated an 11.5 per cent growth in visitor arrivals."