Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) reports that 2005 has been a great year, both in terms of passenger traffic growth and the expansion of HKIA?s air route network. The airport's retail sales are also running

at record levels.
At the same time it points to on-going improvements in the airport?s logistics facilities and the expansion in retail as well as food and beverage as crucial contributors to this year?s success. Advertising sales for full year 2005 (Jan ? Dec) have also achieved a 20% increase compared with the same period in 2004.
In its passenger traffic outlook and forecast HKIA says that in fiscal year 05/06 it is predicting around 42m, or a 3.1m rise in numbers compared with 2004/2005.
‘Driven by Mainland Chinese and Taiwanese visitors as well asgrowth in Asian customers in general, passenger traffic is forecast to grow at 5.8% each year from fiscal year 2006 to 2007 onwards,’ said Hans Bakker, Commercial Director, Airport Authority Hong Kong.
From FY 05/06 onwards, HKIA also forecasts that there will be an increase of 17% each year from the Mainland Chinese sector and 15% from the Taiwanese sector. In the meantime, passenger traffic from Australia and Southeast Asia is forecast to grow at around 4% each year.
HKIA also expanded the number of carriers it works with by eight and launched flights to several new destinations. Bakker added: ‘Currently, a number of low fare airlines (LFAs), including Oriental Thai, Cebu Pacific, Australian Airlines, Siem Reap and Jetstar Asia, are serving HKIA. We will take more proactive measures to attract more LFAs to Hong Kong in 2006.’
At present HKIA serves 80 airlines, flying to 146 destinations worldwide (including 40 in Mainland China) with 5,300 flights per week. Some 40.3m passengers and 3.34 tonnes of cargo were carried through HKIA between November 2004 and October 2005.
HKIA is also looking forward to the opening of its 35,000sq m aviation-themed SkyPlaza mall in the third quarter of 2006. The airport management says that SkyPlaza offers customers a wide variety of activities from all walks of life, including many Hong Kong ‘firsts’ in retail, catering and entertainment. It is currently expected to feature 110 retail outlets, 20 catering outlets and four entertainment zones.
As for the airport itself, sales at HKIA?s SkyMart (HKSM) reached a record high for December with a 13.4% increase recorded over the same period last year, versus an increase in traffic of 10.4%.
HKIA management said: ‘The increases in key categories are extremely impressive. For liquor and tobacco, perfumes and cosmetics, together with general merchandise, the increase is 22.5% over the same period last December. For luxury brand boutiques, there?s an increase of 16.4% over the same period last year. Total HKSM sales for December 05 are expected to reach close to US$100m.’