Shopping in Hong Kong remains Asia’s best

90% of visitors visit Hong Kong for shopping, according to Nielsen.

According to the Globe Shopper City Index, Hong Kong is the number one shopping city in Asia. The index, which measures how destinations successfully attract travellers to shop, gave Hong Kong's an overall score of 68.5 out of 100 among the 25 other shopping destinations in Asia.

A record 42 million visitors from around the world flocked to the city in 2011, said the Hong Kong's Tourism Commission. Many of them came for the shopping.

According to Nielsen, 90% of visitors visit Hong Kong for shopping. Consumers from first-tier cities spend HK$35,640 per visit on average, while those from smaller cities HK$22,000 per visit.

A study by the Economist Intelligence Unit and the shopping tourism firm Global Blue also rated Hong Kong as Asia’s top shopping city. Part of that e reputation is due to Hong Kong having the longest sales season of any city in the index: 22 weeks per year.

The Hong Kong Tourism Board said overnight visitors spent more than US$6 billion during their stay in the first half of 2012.

With the massive influx of shoppers, however, comes the problem of affordable accommodation for tourists. Hong Kong remains the third hardest city to get a room given its average hotel occupancy of 80%. It also has some of the most expensive rooms, with an average two-star hotel costing around US$90 a night.