Hong Kong’s John Lee says multi-entry visas for Shenzhen residents may be revived soon in boon to tourism industry
City leader says he is grateful to Beijing for ‘accelerated progress’ with city’s request to revive and expand a cross-border visa scheme
Hong Kong’s leader has hinted at coming positive developments about the resumption of multiple-entry visas for Shenzhen residents and the expansion of a “one-trip-per-week” visit scheme to more mainland Chinese cities.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu on Thursday expressed his gratitude to the central authorities for their support of the measures aimed at revitalising Hong Kong’s local tourism industry.
He also vowed that the government would do its best to implement the measures to inject momentum into local industries.
“I am grateful to the relevant departments of the central government for their active research and accelerated progress, and I believe there will be news soon,” he said at the fifth Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macau Greater Bay Area development forum.
“All departments of the city government will do their best to coordinate the implementation, promote personnel exchanges and inject new momentum into the industries of tourism, catering and retail.”
Lee announced in his policy address last month that the government had proposed resuming multiple-entry visas for Shenzhen residents and also expanding the “one-trip-per-week” visa scheme to cover visitors from more mainland cities.
The measures were part of the government’s plans to boost visitor arrivals and revive the city’s tourism to boost consumption amid a sluggish economic environment.
