Exciting news from Hong Kong as the city rolled out the red carpet for around 40 tourism sector representatives and media delegates from Mainland China! These lucky folks are getting a five-day, four-night VIP tour of major attractions, including the beloved Hong Kong Disneyland. This adventure aims to shine a spotlight on the recent expansion of the Individual Visit Scheme, which now allows residents of eight additional mainland cities—Taiyuan, Hohhot, Harbin, Lhasa, Lanzhou, Xining, Yinchuan, and Urumqi—to travel solo to Hong Kong without joining a tour group.
Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism, Kevin Yeung Yun-hung, greeted the group warmly at the Heung Yuen Wai Boundary Control Point and Hong Kong International Airport. He expressed his hope that their visit would reveal Hong Kong’s unique charm as an international hub and a food lover’s paradise. Yeung emphasized the city’s new tourism strategy, inspired by Beijing’s top official on Hong Kong affairs, Xia Baolong, who encouraged the local government to transform every corner of the city into potential tourist hotspots.
As part of their itinerary, the representatives will explore iconic places like Central Market, Tai Kwun, Ocean Park, Hong Kong Palace Museum, and the trendy M+ Museum. This extensive tour is designed to let them experience “tourism is everywhere in Hong Kong” firsthand and report their findings back home, hopefully sparking a surge in visits from those eight cities.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu already predicted that the expanded visit scheme could bring approximately 300,000 more tourists to Hong Kong, generating up to HK$1.5 billion (US$192 million) in revenue each year. To support this influx, local industry leaders are urging airlines to establish more direct flights between Hong Kong and these newly added cities, four of which—Taiyuan, Lanzhou, Yinchuan, and Urumqi—currently offer direct routes.
So, what do you think about Hong Kong’s efforts to boost tourism? Have you or someone you know benefitted from the Individual Visit Scheme? Share your thoughts in the comments below and let’s keep this conversation going! Don’t forget to share this story with fellow travel enthusiasts.
