Hong Kong welcomes 17% more mainland tourists after Shenzhen visa change
City leader John Lee pays surprise visit to Tai Kwun in Central and Lee Tung Avenue in Wan Chai to soak in Christmas festivities
The number of mainland Chinese tourists arriving in Hong Kong on Saturday jumped by nearly 17 per cent compared with the level recorded on November 30, before the central government resumed a multiple-entry visa scheme for Shenzhen residents.
But an industry leader warned that a greater diversity of attractions was needed to keep the momentum of arrivals going.
Thousands of mainland tourists packed Tsim Sha Tsui on Sunday morning, posing for pictures and taking boat tours along Victoria Harbour, as local businesses tried to keep up with the demand.
Wong Mei-tung, who offers boat tours, said she barely had a break the day before due to the intense demand for a 40-minute trip, priced at HK$150 (US$19.3).
“I noticed a significant number of Shenzhen tourists boarding. I find it strange because it was quite uncommon for them to take a sightseeing boat as many of them had visited and seen Victoria Harbour before,” the 53-year-old said.
According to the Immigration Department, Hong Kong welcomed 161,075 mainland arrivals on Saturday, an 11 per cent increase from the more than 145,000 visitors on December 7, and a 16.7 per cent rise from the 138,180 visitors on November 30, before the measure took effect on December 1. Of Saturday’s arrivals, more than 60 per cent used land crossings.
