The number of passengers traveling through the Hong Kong International Airport and the volume of cargo handled by the airport both grew significantly to reach record high in 2007, the airport authority said Wednesday.

The number of passengers at the southern Chinese city's airport in 2007 climbed 7.5 percent year-on-year to reach 47.8 million while cargo volume went up 4.5 percent to 3.7 million tons, said Stanley Hui, chief executive officer of Hong Kong Airport Authority.

Air traffic movements advanced 5.4 percent to 295,600, he said.

Hui said the increase was mainly thanks to "robust economic growth in both the mainland and Hong Kong", which continued to underpin the increase in throughput the airport.

Hong Kong was an attractive destination for travelers from other areas where there was appreciation in the local currencies, for tourists from the Chinese mainland traveling to Hong Kong by the Individual Visit Scheme while outbound travel by local residents also grew.

Cargo throughput at the airport benefited from sustained growth in trade between China and its major trading partners, with a slow start in the early part of the year due to seasonal factors but traffic began to pick up in the second quarter and after, Hui was quoted as saying.

Hui said he was confident about 2008 as the Hong Kong International Airport (HKIA) was expected to benefit from the Chinese mainland and Hong Kong's positive economic fundamentals, the growth momentum of both economies, and passenger flows associated with the Beijing Olympic Games.

Despite an expected slowdown in the United States, Hui said that he was cautiously optimistic about cargo throughput in 2008.

HKIA was currently undertaking a series of terminal and airfield enhancements to prepare the airport to serve 50 million passengers annually. The expansion projects will also ensure the airport continuing to deliver good service, comfort and efficiency, according sources from the airport.