Hong Kong - The number of visitors to Hong Kong rose in September as optimism over the improving economy and a series of holidays encouraged more people to travel, according to official figures released Wednesday.

The city of 7 million, which has just emerged from a year-long recession, welcomed 2.2 million people in September, compared to 2.1 million in the same month in 2008.

Hong Kong Tourism Board said arrivals from South and South-east Asia recorded an 18 per cent leap and attributed the rise to several holidays in the region and improving economic outlook.

But the overall increase was mainly driven by arrivals from mainland China which accounted for 1.3 million, or 60 per cent, of all visitors.

In contrast, visitors from Taiwan dropped by almost 20 per cent, following the launch of direct cross-straits flights between Taiwan and China which removed the need for Taiwanese travellers to transit Hong Kong.

In the first nine months of his year, 21.1 million people visited Hong Kong, 2.8 per cent less that the same period in 2008, a year which saw a record 30 million visitor arrivals. (dpa)