Feeling left out and stranded: mainland Chinese ask how Hong Kong’s end to hotel quarantine benefits them
- For most mainlanders, travelling to the city remains frustratingly out of reach and ones who do obtain a visa face seven days of quarantine on the journey back
- ‘I really want to go there to feel the vibe of the city, but I can’t now, it’s annoying, really annoying,’ says media industry professional Amber Liu
Hong Kong’s decision to scrap Covid-19 hotel quarantine for arrivals from Monday has been widely hailed as a long-overdue step in the right direction towards reviving the local economy, but one group of travellers is less than jubilant about the news: mainland Chinese.
Residents who had delayed trips to the city, including business executives, on Saturday said the relaxation would benefit them little as they were still subject to the mainland’s own requirement that returnees spend seven days quarantining in a hotel. Critically, tourist visas to Hong Kong remain frustratingly out of reach, and economists have joined mainlanders in calling for fully restoring travel across the border, arguing the city’s return to growth could be undercut if its traditional base of mainland big spenders stayed away.
For Amber Liu, who works for an online business publication based in Shanghai, Hong Kong’s announcement on Friday only served to remind her that a top destination in the south of the country was tantalisingly close but effectively no nearer than the other side of the world.
“I want to go hiking, to Disneyland, and see the night view of Victoria Harbour. I’ve never been to Hong Kong before, but I was born on the day of the city’s handover,” she said, referring to the transfer from British to Chinese rule on July 1, 1997. “I really want to go there to feel the vibe of the city, but I can’t now, it’s annoying, really annoying.”
From Monday, arrivals to Hong Kong will be subject to a “0+3” scheme – three days of medical surveillance at their choice of premises such as a residence or hotel.
