The retail industry welcomed the expansion of the individual visit scheme and believed the move would gradually stimulate businesses in the tourism, retail, dining, and hotel sectors.
This came after the Scheme allowing Chinese tourists to visit Hong Kong without a guided tour will be expanded to cover Qingdao and Xian starting on March 6.
Annie Tse Yau On-yee, chairman of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, stated on a radio program Monday that opening up these two cities for travel to Hong Kong is a positive first step.
She mentioned that although the move may not have an immediate effect, it would gradually boost Hong Kong’s tourism industry.
Tse pointed out that visitors from these two cities will likely arrive in Hong Kong by air, which would definitely benefit the hotel sector and nighttime markets.
She also stated that Hong Kong could accommodate the influx of visitors and hoped more individual travel cities could gradually open up.
Simon Wong Ka-wo, the President of…
