Coronavirus: Hong Kong tour group heads to Japan for the first time in more than 2 years after Covid rules eased; city logs 1,447 cases
- 10 travellers join seven-day trip organised by EGL Tours, which had previously pushed back the departure date from June 11 to June 15 and then to Wednesday
- Tour members thrilled to be able to visit country, a popular destination for Hongkongers, and are undeterred by quarantine on return home
The first group tour from Hong Kong to Japan in more than two years finally set off on Wednesday amid great fanfare after several delays, as the number of Covid-19 cases hit a two-month high.
Ten travellers joined the seven-day trip organised by EGL Tours, which had previously pushed back the departure date from June 11 to June 15 and then to Wednesday. The firm attributed the delays to the additional time needed to register and process visas, which are required for visitors to enter Japan.
While the government has eased travel curbs, it so far has refused to scrap the quarantine requirement with the pandemic showing no signs of ending soon. Health officials reported 1,447 Covid-19 infections on Wednesday, the highest since 1,433 cases were recorded on April 12. The daily figure included 124 imported cases.
Separately, authorities reported 190 Covid-19 infections involving students and teachers from 165 schools. One person infected with the Omicron subvariant BA.4 or BA.5 was a FedEx Express worker at the airport, but the case has not been linked to any others in the community so far.
The package tour to Tokyo and Hokkaido costs almost HK$20,000 (US$2,564), with the price also covering a compulsory seven days of hotel quarantine upon the travellers’ return to Hong Kong.
Tour member Louie Yan Lok was thrilled to finally be able to visit Japan after a coronavirus-enforced absence of more than two years.
Arriving at Hong Kong airport at 7am, Lok exchanged Hong Kong dollars into 400,000 yen (US$2,945). He said he used to visit Japan more than 10 times a year before the pandemic.
