Restaurants ask for some slack as customers fly out

Restaurants and hotels have urged the government to reopen mainland borders and further relax arrival arrangements to 0+0, worried that more and more people are going to rush out for long-awaited trips.

Catering veteran Simon Wong Ka-wo cosigned a letter to Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and Secretary for Health Lo Chung-mau calling for restrictions to be lifted in the hard-hit restaurant sector.

He said business during the Mid-Autumn Festival earlier this month had dropped to HK$280 million from HK$400 million before the pandemic.

Cosignatory Maurice Kong Chi-hang, vice president of the Institute of Dining Professionals, said the restrictions significantly lower people's willingness to dine in, which has slashed the banquet business.

Kong also called on the government to subsidize catering employers.

The hotel sector, meanwhile, is expecting a 20 percent drop in business as quarantine hotels return to the local market.

"The 0+3 arrangement might not be attractive enough for overseas travelers and many Hongkongers are expected to travel abroad," said Winnie Chan Wun-yin of the Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners.

Government adviser Ivan Hung Fan-ngai said restaurant restrictions and the 0+3 rule can be scrapped and social distancing rules relaxed - though masks should be kept on - if there is no rebound in the coming two to three weeks.

Former Hospital Authority chief executive Leung Pak-yin said on a Facebook post: "The conservative isolation policy is no longer appropriate ... a full relaxation should be granted to social distance and the catering industry."

The Health Bureau said in light of the recent development, the number of "restriction-testing declarations" is gradually decreasing, but reiterated that RTD is still part of the compulsory testing. The most recent RTD was on September 13 at the Wo Shun House in Fung Wo Estate, Sha Tin.

Hong Kong yesterday reported 3,846 local infections and 188 imported ones, plus 12 deaths. Two elderly homes reported two infections and 18 residents were listed as close contacts. A total of 687 schools reported 1,280 cases.

stacy.shi@singtaonewscorp.com