HK welcomes 40 Chinese tourism representatives for in-depth exploration

Hong Kong has welcomed around 40 tourism representatives from eight mainland cities for an in-depth exploration in Hong Kong, with the tourism chief Kevin Yeung saying their trip can bring in more tourists to the city. 

The group arrived on Sunday on a five-day, four-night itinerary and will visit various tourists attractions in Hong Kong including Central Market, Tai Kwun, Hong Kong Disneyland, Ocean Park, Hong Kong Palace Museum and M+.

This comes as part of the expansion of the Individual Visit Scheme which looks to cover eight more mainland cities, including Taiyuan, Hohhot, Harbin, Lhasa, Lanzhou, Xining, Yinchuan and Urumqi. Visitors from these regions will be allowed from 3 June to visit Hong Kong as solo travellers without needing to join a tour group. 

Speaking during a media briefing when he visited the visitor centres of the Hong Kong Tourism Board located at the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point and Hong Kong International Airport, Yeung said the government hopes that they would bring this fruitful and high-quality travel experience back to the eight cities for sharing with and promoting amongst the local residents. "This will enhance the two-way tourism exchange between the eight cities and Hong Kong," he added.

"We have arranged representatives of tourism industry and media from the eight cities to come to Hong Kong today to experience the tourism characteristic of 'Tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong' firsthand and the unique appeal of Hong Kong as a metropolis where East meets West," he said.

He said this aims to let these representatives experience the extraordinary charm of Hong Kong as an international metropolis and a culinary capital through this exchange.

"The government will work with the trade continuously to provide visitors with diversified travel experience and high-quality service, so as to make visitors from different cities to feel at home in Hong Kong," Yeung added.

Previously, Hong Kong's leader John Lee said the eight cities added are all provincial capital cities with large populations, significant economic growth and high spending power.

Their inclusion will boost the tourism, retail, catering, hotel and other related sectors, attracting huge economic benefits while promoting two-way visits between Hong Kong and different provincial capitals, he added. Lee also said this move will facilitate people-to-people bonds between the mainland and Hong Kong.

Don't miss: HKTB: Mainland China remains largest visitor source market for HK

This also comes in line with the fact that on a full-year basis, the mainland remained the largest visitor source market for Hong Kong, with satisfactory visitor arrivals during Labour Day Golden Week, the summer holidays, and National Day Golden Week, according to the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB).

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