Time we turned Shenzhen flow

Hong Kong is on the hunt for talent and, although the various visa schemes are open to all talent from around the world, successful applicants are mostly from the mainland.

Shenzhen has also set out to grab people.

There certainly seems to be plenty of talent across the border, as reflected in the number of mainlanders applying to come here under the visa schemes.

But Shenzhen is stepping up efforts to grab money spenders - big and small - from the SAR.

In addition to planning more money exchanges and free wifi hubs at control points to facilitate Hongkongers switching to spending in yuan, local officials are trying to be creative to maintain the momentum of Hongkongers going north for weekends.

Since the border reopened, more Hongkongers have been heading north than mainlanders coming south.

It is estimated that Hongkongers visited Shenzhen 4.7 million times in July, spending up to HK$4 billion that month.

That Hong Kong residents flock to Shenzhen and other Greater Bay Area cities in large numbers, mainly for weekend leisure, has thrown local businesses in these cities a lifeline, bailing many retail and service providers out of the struggling economy currently facing the mainland.

An irony of the trend is that, as Hongkong spenders head north, fewer spend here and this has quickly become a problem for small businesses in the SAR.

Perhaps tourism minister Kevin Yeung Yun-hung should refer to Shenzhen and be more creative as he learns how to lure mainlanders to come over for weekends.

If Hong Kong officials' repeated appeals have failed to persuade Hongkongers to remain here on major holidays and weekends, the SAR will have to be a bit more gimmicky in order to fill the widening gap with mainland consumers, big and small.

Creativity is the key word. The status quo of more Hongkongers heading north than mainlanders coming south for weekend leisure is simply not the way forward.

Yeung is expected to react to the emerging problem - but it is not going to be easy.

As Chinese University of Hong Kong academic Simon Lee Siu-po has cautioned, the balance currently favorable to Shenzhen could continue until the living costs of the two cities converge.

Before this happens, the net flows from Hong Kong to Shenzhen will continue.

That said, this is not a reason for non-action. If Shenzhen can do it, then Hong Kong can do it too.

After all, the favorite spots frequented by Hong Kong consumers are mainly the huge shopping malls in Shenzhen's Luohu, Futian and Nanshan districts.

Also popular are outlets for local budget delicacies including coconut chicken, grilled fish and hot pot, as well as cha chaan teng.

Maybe the next time Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu leads a delegation to the Greater Bay Area for meetings with local officials on cross-border cooperation, stops should be included for accompanying officials to understand why these spots are so attractive to Hongkongers.

In addition to grabbing talent, it is necessary to grab mainland spenders too.