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Visit Hong Kong? Tourism sector reels as months of protests, disruptions leave travellers saying: No, thanks
- Discounts at attractions, hotels not enough to bring back mainland and overseas visitors
- Slump in arrivals expected to continue, prospects looking grim for Christmas peak season
Reading Time:9 minutes
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A rare tranquillity has descended on the waterfront Avenue of Stars, on the Kowloon side of Hong Kong’s Victoria Harbour, with few tourists taking in the view of the city’s famous skyline from the popular spot.
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It is Tuesday morning and the crowds of mainland visitors wielding selfie sticks are nowhere in sight.
Patrick Lee, whose Mei Lok Store feeds fishballs and other street snacks to the hordes usually thronging the place, admits business has got worse in recent months and he has had to let go of three part-time workers. These days, the 47-year-old relies mainly on his wife and occasional part-time help to stay open.
“We can only operate the business on our own,” he says. “We don’t dare employ others.”
The ongoing protests, which began in June and have become increasingly violent, have taken a toll on Hong Kong’s tourism industry, with sharp declines in visitor arrivals affecting attractions, shops, food and drink outlets and hotels.
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About 40 foreign jurisdictions have issued warnings or alerts against travel to Hong Kong, as clashes between protesters and police become increasingly regular, and government buildings, MTR stations, shops and restaurants with mainland Chinese links are vandalised.
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