Hong Kong’s tourism industry could be on the cusp of a major resurgence as officials consider expanding travel endorsements for mainland Chinese visitors, according to industry leaders.
The Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC) has proposed broadening the “one trip per week” visit endorsements to include all cities within Guangdong province, arguing that the relaxation is unlikely to lead to an increase in parallel trading activities.
“The likelihood of parallel traders impacting residents’ lives following the scheme relaxation is low, given the changes in consumption patterns on the mainland,” said Fanny Yeung Shuk-fan, the TIC’s Executive Director.
Yeung suggested the “one trip per week” plan could first be implemented across the entire Guangdong Province, which borders Hong Kong, as a means of boosting the tourism sector. She also noted that the travel industry must find ways to retain customers if the measures are implemented, such as enhancing the promotion of half-day in-depth tours.
The comments come after Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu proposed to Beijing to enhance the visit endorsements for mainland residents traveling to Hong Kong. The initiative includes resuming the “multiple-entry” individual visit endorsements for Shenzhen residents and broadening the range of pilot cities participating in the “one trip per week” scheme.
In the first nine months of this year, over 32 million travelers visited Hong Kong, with mainland visitors accounting for more than 70 percent. Wholesale and retail sector lawmaker Peter Shiu Ka-fai said the “multiple-entry” visa could provide a solid assurance for the retail sector and suggested expanding the scheme in phases to cover the cities in the Greater Bay Area.
“The travel industry has to find ways to retain customers if the measures can be implemented,” Yeung said. “This could be a game-changer for Hong Kong’s tourism recovery.”