Visit scheme extended to nine more more cities

Hong Kong's tourism industry is to get a further boost with the announcement today (April 20) that the individual visit scheme for mainlanders will be extended to nine more cities from July 1.

They are Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Taizhou, Fuzhou, Xiamen and Quanzhou.
 
The Secretary for Economic Development and Labour, Mr Stephen Ip, said about 43 million people from these cities would be eligible to visit Hong Kong through the scheme.

"This is very good news," he said, adding he was confident Hong Kong could cope with the expected surge in visitors.

"There is effective co-ordination among government departments and good liaison with Mainland authorities, along with adequate accommodation," Mr Ip said.
 
He said it was difficult to estimate the number of mainlanders visiting Hong Kong during the coming Labour Day golden week, although he expected it would exceed the 380,000 who came at the same time last year.
 
The government hopes the individual visit scheme will be extended to more Mainland cities in a progressive and orderly manner.
 
Meanwhile, a further seven cities in Guangdong Province will join the scheme from May 1.

After July, it is estimated that 150 million people from 32 Mainland cities will be eligible to visit Hong Kong through the scheme.
 
Since its implementation in July 2003, the scheme has attracted over 1.6 million tourists from the Mainland, which is now the biggest source of visitors to Hong Kong, with over half the total.

Ends/Tuesday, April 20, 2004