Hong Kong - The number of American and European visitors to Hong Kong has fallen sharply because of the global economic crisis, figures released Tuesday showed.

But visitors from the region helped boost up the visitor numbers to Hong Kong in April to 0.8 per cent compared to April 2008 at 2.4 million, due largely to a 7.8 per cent rise in the number of people visiting from mainland China.

The number of visitors to the city of 7 million from the Americas fell 12 per cent to 150,172 in April compared to the same month last year.

Visitors from Europe, Africa and the Middle East meanwhile were down 10.9 per cent to 200,600 over the same period, the Hong Kong Tourism Board announced.

The board said in a statement: "All long-haul regions continued their downward trend in April due to weakened consumer sentiment for long-distance travel as a result of the financial tsunami."

China accounts for more than half of all visitors to Hong Kong and has been the mainstay of the city's tourism industry since cross-border travel restrictions were substantially eased in 2003. (dpa)