Restrictions eased for inbound tour groups

In a further move toward post-pandemic normality, inbound tour groups will be allowed to visit theme parks, museums, temples and dine in specific zones in designated restaurants during a three-day amber Covid health code that will be applied from this month.

Authorities will also consider travelers on short-term stays to face fewer PCR tests and ask them to do daily rapid tests instead.

Currently, inbound travelers from overseas, including Taiwan, must be tested on days two, four and six after arrival.

The Culture, Sports and Tourism Bureau announced yesterday that tour groups must also have licensed tour guides when visiting the SAR, and after filing itineraries those travelers with an amber health code can enter designated tourist attractions and dine in partitioned areas of designated eateries. "The arrangements can support the gradual resumption of the inbound travel market in an orderly manner and provide a more favorable business environment for the travel trade," the bureau claimed.

Travel agents have to register a tour group itineraries with the Travel Industry Council in advance and make all travelers use the LeaveHomeSafe app and comply with vaccine pass arrangement.

Travel Industry Council chairwoman Gianna Hsu Wong Mei-lun said the new arrangement for inbound groups shows the world that Hong Kong is returning to normal.

The tourism sector will continue to communicate with the administration on detailed arrangements, she said, and staffers at travel agencies have to cooperate with authorities and undergo more frequent Covid tests.

Tour groups can also visit attractions including Ocean Park and Hong Kong Disneyland plus the new Hong Kong Palace Museum and M+ Museum at the West Kowloon Cultural District.

Hsu noted too that some tourists are also interested in the Tsing Ma Bridge and local temples.

Restaurants, meanwhile, "should not use a couple of screens to separate the tourists from other diners," she added. Rather, they should arrange for tourists to eat in designated dining rooms to lower the risk of transmission.

But Hsu expects only about 100 travelers will come to the SAR per day at the beginning, with most from Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.

It would take at least three weeks for travel agencies to prepare and promote tour groups to Hong Kong, and the sector hopes more travelers can come during the Christmas holiday.

Hsu said the Travel Industry Council is also in talks with hotels to allow visitors who test positive during a trip to stay in the hotel for quarantine.

Tourism sector legislator Perry Yiu Pak-leung said tour groups are very different from individual tourists as the hotels and restaurants they visit are booked in advance by travel agencies.

"Individual visitors can walk freely across the city while 'group-in, group-out' tourists have all three meals scheduled by agencies as well as their accommodation," Yiu said. "This means tour groups are safer in terms of Covid prevention."

Tommy Cheung Yu-yan, the legislator for the catering sector, said designated eateries for inbound tourists will mostly be large restaurants. And catering authorities are asking restaurateurs whether they are willing to join the scheme.

Ocean Park yesterday welcomed the new approach, saying it can stimulate Hong Kong tourism.

"The park will continue to work closely with the government and the local tourism industry, communicate with overseas and mainland business partners, and strengthen promotional efforts to prepare for the ease of travel restrictions," it said.

Hong Kong Disneyland also welcomed the new measure and said it looks forward to entertaining more visitors.

The West Kowloon Cultural District Authority, meanwhile, will wait for more details to be released by authorities and will discuss with its partners in the travel industry implementation details of the new arrangements.

And the WKCDA looks forward to welcoming more tourists from across the world when all the restrictions governing inbound travel are lifted, it added.

Hong Kong Tourism Board chairman Pang Yiu-kai said the new arrangement sends a positive message to travelers and Hong Kong's trade partners around the world. The board said it had lined up more than 400 meetings last month with over 200 local trade partners and representatives from tour operators, hotels and attractions to discuss partnership opportunities and gear up for bringing back visitors.

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