Fewer than 1,000 tourists visited Hong Kong during the National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival
Xinhua News Agency, Hong Kong, October 5 (Reporter Zhu Yuxuan) This year's National Day, Mid-Autumn Festival, and double festivals, Hong Kong ushered in a four-day long holiday. However, due to the impact of the new crown pneumonia epidemic, fewer than 1,000 tourists visited Hong Kong during this period.
Affected by the epidemic, this year's Hong Kong National Day and Mid-Autumn Festival holidays have insufficient "gold content".
According to data from the Immigration Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, on October 1, only 93 tourists from the Mainland visited Hong Kong.
Before the outbreak, the areas around Tsim Sha Tsui, Mong Kok, and Causeway Bay were bustling. Whether it was a large shopping mall or a small shop, it was crowded with tourists carrying large and small packages during the holidays.
However, there are few tourists this year, and many businesses lament that this holiday is “neither prosperous nor prosperous”.
"Business plummeted during the National Day holiday this year, and no one came to buy it at half the price." A cosmetics shopping guide working in a duty-free shop in Causeway Bay said that since March, the duty-free shop has launched a number of big sales promotions, which have been popular among mainland consumers. Welcome beauty products can be purchased at half price. However, the epidemic has hindered the pace of tourists, and the "big panic buying" hoped by businesses has not happened.
Although there are few tourists visiting Hong Kong during this short holiday, Hong Kong citizens who are unable to travel abroad have gone out for fun and explore local travel.
As the third wave of the epidemic in Hong Kong is basically contained, the SAR government has gradually relaxed social distancing measures in stages, and restaurants, shopping malls, and scenic spots have once again opened their doors to welcome customers.
In order to stimulate consumption, many businesses have launched preferential activities to attract customers.
The reporter visited various districts in Hong Kong and found that many restaurants were full of seats, there were many residents exercising on the sports grounds, and the citizens resting in urban parks were everywhere.
Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Legislative Council travel member Yao Sirong said that between September 30 and October 3, many resort hotels in Hong Kong were "full", and some international brand hotels attracted many local customers to make reservations due to the sharp price cuts.
Lin Zhexuan, former vice-president of the Hong Kong Medical Association and spokesperson for medical and nursing integrity peers, said that due to the relaxation of social distancing measures in Hong Kong, the flow of people on the market has largely resumed before the outbreak.
He urged the public to maintain hygiene and be cautious about epidemic prevention while going out for consumption.