The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), a former British colony which was handed over to the People's Republic of China on 1 July 1997, welcomes millions of international travelers every year for business and tourism.
Hong Kong (香港), meaning “Fragrant Harbor”, refers to the harbor water sweetened by the fresh water estuarine influx of the Pearl River. The Pearl River Delta region is a rapidly interconnecting economic area on the southern coast of China, which includes booming cities such as Shenzhen, Zhongshan, Guangzhou, and another China SAR, Macau.
Official languages | Chinese and English |
Spoken language | Cantonese and English Communication in English and Putonghua is not a big problem for most of the retail/ restaurant outlets |
Area | 1,104 km2 426 sq mi |
Population | 7,200,000 + |
Density | 6,544/km2 17,024/sq mi |
Time zone | HKT (UTC+8) |
Area code | 852 |
Currency | Hong Kong Dollar |
Exchange rate | HKD is linked to the US dollar at a rate of approximately 7.80 HKD to 1 USD. You may exchange USD, CAD, AUD, EUR, GBP, SGD, JPY& RMB at Concierge. *Exchange rates fluctuate daily depending on currency market. |
Tipping | A 10% service charge is added to hotel and restaurant bills. It is also customary to leave a small additional tip. |
Taxes | No sales duty or value-added taxes in Hong Kong |