After witnessing a flood of arrivals from both near and far in May, Hong Kong can rightly celebrate its return as a global destination
The city’s leaders have long proclaimed, “Hong Kong is back!” It has taken a while for that to be fully reflected on the ground after the pandemic restrictions on top of the 2019 protests.
But the latest tourism figures leave no doubt, no matter whether they are down to the number of visitors, where they are from, or who the big spenders are.
The 4 million-plus visitors in May, including mainlanders, surpassed the number for the same month last year by 20 per cent overall.
The potential for more growth in thriving new markets has led to calls for relaxed entry rules for tourists from Vietnam and India in particular – a sensible move. Currently, Indians need to register before arrival for visa-free entry, while Vietnamese require a visa.
