Hong Kong received 10.68 million visitors in 1999, an 11.5 percent increase over 1998 and which represents the highest number since the peak 11.7 million visitors in 1996, according to statistics released Sunday.

The figure for December -- the traditional start of the three-month festive season -- reached 972,977, the fifth month in 1999 when over 900,000 arrivals were recorded and the 18th month of continuous growth, according to the statistics of the Hong Kong Tourist Association (HKTA).

Average hotel occupancy for 1999 also ended on a high note, rising to 79 percent, up three percentage points from 1998.

HKTA Executive Director Amy Chan said the 1999 results were a remarkable achievement for all those involved in the tourism industry and reflected the success of the HKTA's City of Life marketing campaign throughout the world.

"We have successfully put Hong Kong back on the world map as a city of diverse attractions that offers great value for money," she said.

"Thanks to the hard work and cooperation among all sectors, we now have a much more streamlined tourism industry and a vastly more competitive product to offer visitors," said Chan.

"That, coupled with the strong support of the government, means we can start the new millennium on a firm foundation with great prospects for continued growth," she said.