香港的失业率在十月份达到六个月来的最低点，其原因是繁荣的城市旅游业刺激了经济的整体发展，许多公司不得不大量招聘人才。

香港政府在最近的一份声明中说，香港地区的失业率已从九月份的8.3%降至十月份的8%。

“香港的失业高峰期已经过去了，到明年中期，失业率有望降到并且维持在6.5%到7%之间。”一位知名学者说。

HONG Kong’s jobless rate fell to a six-month low in October as a tourism boom helps revive the city's economy, prompting companies to step up hiring.

The rate fell to 8 percent from 8.3 percent in September, the government said in a statement.

“Economic recovery is apparently underway. The unemployment rate has peaked,”said Steven Xu, an economist at ICBC (Asia) Ltd.

“We will probably see the unemployment rate hovering between 6.5 percent and 7 percent by the middle of next year.”

Tourist arrivals -- more than half of which come from the Chinese mainland -- rose 7.9 percent in September to 1.47 million, a record for the month, the Hong Kong Tourism Board said.

Hong Kong hotels hired 800 people in August and will take on another 700 employees by the end of this year, the Hong Kong Hotels Association said.

Stores, hotels and restaurants are adding workers to cope with a surge in Chinese tourists since the mainland government in the third quarter relaxed visa restrictions governing visits to Hong Kong. That's helping revive consumer confidence in the city and prompting non-tourist sectors to hire.

PCCW Ltd, Hong Kong’s biggest phone company, is hiring around 150 to 200 sales representatives following the launch of new services, said spokeswoman Joan Wagner. T G Holborn (HK) Ltd, a financial management and consultant company, is recruiting 100 financial planners to meet increased demand for wealth management, according to Ernest Leung, a company director.

The government last month raised its 2003 economic growth forecast to 3 percent from 2 percent, restoring the estimate toswheresit was before the severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak.

“The post-SARS rebound in mainland tourist arrivals and the boost to related industries demonstrates the extent to which Hong Kong is positioned to benefit from the structural boom in China’s tourism industry,”Goldman SachssgroupsIncc said in a research note.