Govt mulls expanding mainland Individual Visit Scheme to draw tourists: sources

The government plans to extend the mainland individual traveler's scheme to include more Chinese cities in order to boost local tourism, according to sources.

Under the current Individual Visit Scheme, mainland residents with permanent household registration in 49 cities - including 21 cities in Guangdong province as well as Beijing, Shanghai, Chengdu, etc - are eligible to apply to visit Hong Kong in their individual capacity.

It was learned that the Scheme will be expanded to cover more cities as per the central government endorsement, with details to be announced very soon.

Sources added that the "multiple-entry" Individual Visit Endorsements arrangement, which allows mainland travelers to enter and exit Hong Kong unlimitedly within the one-year validity period, was also reviewed and could be expanded to benefit not only Shenzhen residents but also those who live in the Greater Bay Area.

The Travel Industry Council believed that the increase in IVS visitors would not put pressure on Hong Kong's carrying capacity.

Starry Lee Wai-king, the city's sole delegate to the National People's Congress, said Wednesday that she believed the plan would be welcomed by citizens. She was also looking forward to the coverage of the individual traveler's scheme being extended to second and third-tier cities like Sanya and Harbin.

Wholesale and retail sector lawmaker Peter Shiu Ka-fai said the plan would definitely benefit retail and catering industries, as one-third of the relevant spending in the city is contributed by visitors.

He also urged the authorities to trial the “one week trip per week” endorsements in the Greater Bay Area to facilitate the exchanges between the two sides.

Chief Secretary Eric Chan Kwok-ki said earlier that the SAR government was discussing with the mainland authorities to provide mainlanders with more convenient and flexible ways to visit Hong Kong and enriching their travel experience.