Hong Kong, September 23 (China News Service) -- The third wave of the epidemic in Hong Kong has eased, and the SAR government has gradually relaxed epidemic prevention measures, which has made a slight improvement in various industries, but the tourism industry has not yet seen a restart. On the 23rd, a number of associations in the Hong Kong tourism industry jointly met with the Secretary for Food and Health of the HKSAR Government, Mr Chan Siu-chiu, to put forward a number of proposals, including allowing travel agencies to organise "local tour groups" under the regulation restricting group gatherings.
On the same day, representatives from various associations and groups in the industry participated in the meeting, including the Hong Kong Travel Agency Proprietors Association, the Hong Kong Inbound Tourism Reception Association, the Hong Kong Tourism Promotion Council, Wing Tung Direct Bus Management Limited and the China-Hong Kong-Macao Express Bus Association.
According to the Hong Kong Association of Travel Agency Owners, more than 1,700 travel agencies, airlines and hotels in the industry have been struggling for more than a year and are now in a state of "dying". With the sharp reduction of government reserves, the financial assistance under the "Third Round of Epidemic Prevention and Anti-epidemic Fund" has also decreased, which is difficult to sustain the travel agency industry.
Industry representatives responded to Chan's appeal and put forward three suggestions: first, with reference to relaxing the practice of other places, under the regulations restricting group gatherings, travel agencies are allowed to hold "local tour groups" with a maximum number of people set to 30 people; second, urge the SAR Government to cooperate with private institutions to set up 15-minute rapid testing centers at various ports of entry and exit and airport entry and exit gates, so that when the "tourist bubble" is implemented, it can provide testing services for passengers; third, urge the SAR Government to "make up its mind" Customs clearance will be made on October 1 at the latest for the Mid-Autumn Festival, the flow of people in Hong Kong and Guangdong and Macao will be restored, and the "Hong Kong Health Code" and "Tourism Bubble" will be implemented at an early date.
Ip Ching-ning, president of the Hong Kong Travel Agency Proprietors Association, pointed out that the industry is backwater, and under the current basic control of the epidemic, the SAR Government should exempt the number of local tour groups from gathering, describing this as "the industry's life-saving grass" and can gain more time to wait for other entry and exit business to resume.
Chen Zongyi, chairman of the China-Hong Kong-Macao Express Bus Federation, suggested that Hong Kong and Macao be the first to clear customs, and then customs clearance with mainland cities in the Greater Bay Area. He also said that the current market price of testing ranges from 750 yuan (Hong Kong dollars, the same below) to 3,000 yuan per time, which is too expensive, and suggests that the SAR government intervene in the testing market, and the cost should be controlled below 150 yuan. (End)
Source: China News Network