Banning flavoured cigarettes may reduce Hong Kong’s appeal to visitors, lawmaker says
- But senior health official rebuts his argument, saying tourists and business travellers may prefer a city with fresh air instead

Banning flavoured cigarettes may reduce Hong Kong’s attractiveness to tourists and business travellers, a lawmaker has warned, but his comments were countered by a senior health official who said visitors might prefer fresh air instead.
“Flavoured tobacco products are sold everywhere in the world, and if you don’t allow people to buy them here, it actually undermines their right to choose,” he told a radio programme, adding that the ban could deter foreigners who smoked from visiting.
“In the future, if we get to a point where we don’t allow smoking at all, will [travellers] avoid coming to Hong Kong? Or perhaps families might choose not to visit if a member smokes.”
Shiu acknowledged that while the new rules did not mean a complete ban on smoking, he pointed to Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau’s goal of making Hong Kong a smoke-free city in the longer term.
“The government hopes Hong Kong can eventually become a smoke-free city, which sounds great, but we should also consider the reality of the situation,” he said.