Hong Kong - Hong Kong welcomed a record 29.5 million visitors in 2008 but fell short of its target of 30 million for the year, officials announced Wednesday.

The figure represents a 4.7 per cent increase on the previous record set in 2007 but will disappoint tourism board leaders who in early 2008 predicted the city would welcome 30 million visitors.

Announcing the numbers, a government spokesman said 55 per cent of the arrivals were from mainland China and said arrival numbers had been hit by the global slump and restrictions on travellers from China.

"The global economic slowdown affected almost all international markets, and the mainland (China) adjusted its visa policy in the second half of 2008, offsetting the increase in arrivals recorded in the first half of the year," the spokesman said.

Hong Kong's visitor arrivals have rocketed since the easing of cross-border travel restrictions by China in 2003, allowing millions more Chinese people to visit the former British colony.

The Hong Kong statistics include same-day visitors who clear immigration but do not stay overnight, meaning millions who transit the city between Taiwan and China are included in the total. (dpa)