Hong Kong’s tourism industry about to get a revamp, commerce chief says
While sketchy on the details, Edward Yau says there will be more scrutiny of key businesses and more consumer protection, with specifics to come after chief executive’s policy address
Hong Kong’s struggling tourism industry is about to get a comprehensive development plan, aimed at creating new attractions and offering better protection for tourists, according to commerce minister Edward Yau Tang-wah.
Yau gave no details of the plan, but the city’s tourism workers called for more resources, more industry supervision and better infrastructure ahead of Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor’s maiden policy address, due on Wednesday.
“As a small city, we need to develop different attractions ... and more unique activities other than shopping,” Yau said on Friday. He said his bureau would unveil a slate of new policies after Lam’s address.
He also said the bureau would step up scrutiny of businesses integral to the tourism industry, especially airlines. That pledge followed Hong Kong Express’s abrupt cancellations last months of 18 flights between October 1 and 8.
Until about three years ago, tourism had been a key driver of Hong Kong’s economy for a decade, fuelled by a huge influx of mainland tourists.
