Airfares to Hong Kong rise ahead of X'mas

A month ahead of the annual Christmas sales in Hong Kong, airfares have begun to spike, the Qianjiang Evening News reports.

Many tourists who were bound for Japan have switched to Hong Kong, due to a soaring Japanese Yen since July, the paper reported.

Recently a number of international airlines have increased fuel surcharges. In addition, the General Administration of Customs issued a directive in August clarifying that mainland residents can bring in an overseas purchase valued at up to 5,000 yuan tax-free.

These reasons have put a damper on overseas shopping-bound tourism. Statistics at several domestic travel agencies show that people are more interested in inquiring about tours than actually purchasing.

That's why the Hong Kong travel market is booming, due to a relatively low cost compared to Japan, the U.S. and European countries.

On the other hand, major tourist attractions in Hong Kong are offering favorable prices online. Generous discounts on tickets to HK Disneyland, Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum and Ngong Ping Cable Car can be bought from online shopping website taobao.com.

This year, the Christmas sale season in Hong Kong will kick off from December 15. Currently there are still plenty of hotels available for individual tourists to Hong Kong, according to the report.