[Commentary] The "May 1st" small holiday is coming. Affected by the black storm and the new coronary pneumonia epidemic, the number of visitors to Hong Kong has dropped sharply. During the "May Day" Golden Week, "zero" group visits were recorded for the first time. In an interview with reporters recently, Liang Fangyuan, chairman of the Hong Kong Federation of Tourism Unions, said in a recent interview that "Golden Week" has changed to "Black Carbon Week", and Hong Kong's tourism industry has entered the "ice age" from "cold winter".
[Same period] Liang Fangyuan, Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Tourism Industry Unions
(Since the revision of the law) All the way to (last year) October, there were basically no tour groups, and suddenly the epidemic came, and I really could not describe this bad luck. When the epidemic situation comes, many places in the interior must be protected against epidemic diseases. After a month, I estimate that (industry insiders) earn only about one or two thousand yuan, and some people even have no income, because no travel agency can receive orders, whether it is booking or booking, these businesses are all gone.
[Explanation] Liang Fangyuan said that the "May Day" holiday has always been the "golden period" for tourists to Hong Kong. In the past, an average of two or three hundred mainland tour groups arrived in Hong Kong every day. Now the epidemic is raging all over the world, the number of people visiting Hong Kong has decreased by 99%, and the outbound tour groups in Hong Kong have been almost all cancelled. The "Golden Week" has changed into the "Black Carbon Week".
[Same period] Liang Fangyuan, Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Tourism Industry Unions
If you say the previous Golden Week, I estimate that two or three hundred (tour groups) come in a day for a tour group, but now, it is now zero (tour group), and it cannot be said to be "Golden Week", now it is "black" "Carbon Week" is really helpless. Basically, all travel agencies are closed. Some travel agencies said ironically, "No, we are very busy", "What are we busy with", "Busy to leave the group" is just processing the refund The group formalities are really sad. (Travel agency) is not doing the incoming business, it is doing the formalities for leaving the group.
[Explanation] The tourism industry is shut down, and the practitioners' hands are stopped. The impact is serious. Liang Fangyuan introduced that there are currently more than 17,000 licensed tour guides in Hong Kong. Some people can only rely on their savings to survive, and many people have already switched to other types of work. However, Liang Fangyuan understands the current SAR government's anti-epidemic measures and hopes that everyone will work together to fight the epidemic and let the epidemic situation pass as soon as possible.
[Same period] Liang Fangyuan, Chairman of the Federation of Hong Kong Tourism Industry Unions
Don't rush at this moment, you are now rushing to form a group, making the epidemic situation more troublesome. I mean it will make the current situation not end, but now everyone is working together to fight the epidemic, but there will be a hope. Of course, we often say that when the epidemic is over, the black storm must stop. If the black storm does not stop, we (the tourism industry) will also be finished.
[Explanation] The Hong Kong Federation of Trade Unions has also adopted a number of measures to alleviate the unemployment pressure of tourism workers, such as obtaining cash allowances for employees and providing refresher courses for licensed tour guides. She also called on the Hong Kong government to create temporary jobs to provide more job opportunities for the unemployed. Regarding the future development of Hong Kong's tourism industry, Liang Fangyuan said he is still confident.
Reporter Zhu Aili and Chen Anyi from Hong Kong
Editor in charge: [Wang Kai]