Hong Kong is becoming popular as a stopover destination for tourists heading off on an extended trip in China.
Planning an extended trip abroad might involve an itinerary that includes many foreign destinations, but there is one city that appears often for tourists heading to China.
Hong Kong has seen a recent influx of passengers, thanks to its central location, good value for money, food and shopping opportunities, an expert has said.
Paul Jeffels, manager at Round the World Experts, explained that the destination has been influenced by the English-speaking culture and has grown in popularity when compared with Los Angeles, New York City or Singapore - which are other common stopover locations.
"Hong Kong is a good access point for China. We are finding that it is becoming more difficult for the independent traveller to obtain a visa for mainland China without having a tour or hotels pre-booked," Mr Jeffels explained.
He added that many people start or end their trip in Hong Kong to overcome this difficulty.
Scheduling an excursion to Kowloon, Macau or Shenzhen are proving popular, particularly for those wishing to take a day or evening out of their holiday to go on an excursion or dinner cruise.
Mr Jeffels concluded that a western influence and close proximity to other destinations - as well as being a free addition to many round-the-world tours - have cemented Hong Kong's position among the popular cities on the globe.
Indeed, those looking for flights to the city should not find it too difficult as passenger activity through the nation's airport increased during the last month by 17.5 per cent - a figure which equates to 4.7 million people.
Annual trip insurance could be a good investment for anyone planning a trip taking in more than one country.
By
Anne Jones 
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