Retail veterans expect gradual effects from expansion of individual visit scheme

The retail industry welcomed the expansion of the individual visit scheme and believed the move would gradually stimulate businesses in the tourism, retail, dining, and hotel sectors.

This came after the Scheme allowing Chinese tourists to visit Hong Kong without a guided tour will be expanded to cover Qingdao and Xian starting on March 6.

Annie Tse Yau On-yee, chairman of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, stated on a radio program Monday that opening up these two cities for travel to Hong Kong is a positive first step.

She mentioned that although the move may not have an immediate effect, it would gradually boost Hong Kong's tourism industry.

Tse pointed out that visitors from these two cities will likely arrive in Hong Kong by air, which would definitely benefit the hotel sector and nighttime markets.

She also stated that Hong Kong could accommodate the influx of visitors and hoped more individual travel cities could gradually open up.

Simon Wong Ka-wo, the President of the Hong Kong Federation of Restaurants and Related Trades, expects that there will be a gradual increase in the number of visitors from Xian and Qingdao. 

He also anticipated that more mainland cities - such as Harbin and those in the northwest and southwest regions like Inner Mongolia - would eventually be included in the Scheme.

Wong said mainland visitors will aspire to dine at Chinese restaurants and experience the city's unique culinary culture, such as cha chaan teng and Hong Kong-style milk tea.