(Interview between the two sessions) Lu Rui'an, Honorary Chairman of China Travel Service Hong Kong: Backed by the motherland, Hong Kong's tourism industry is bound to recover

　　China News Service, Beijing, March 4th. Title: Lu Rui'an, Honorary Chairman of China Travel Service Hong Kong: Backed by the motherland, Hong Kong's tourism industry is bound to recover

　　China News Agency reporter Tang Guijiang

　　"Hong Kong is backed by the huge hinterland and market of the mainland of the motherland. This is its biggest geographic feature and the biggest competitive advantage." Lu Rui'an, deputy to the National People's Congress of the Hong Kong District and honorary chairman of the Hong Kong China Travel Service Co., Ltd., accepted Sino-Singapore In an interview, the agency said that we must give full play to this advantage, backed by the great rivers and mountains of the motherland, embrace the development of the Greater Bay Area, and believe that Hong Kong's tourism industry will recover again and Hong Kong's future will definitely be better.

　　After more than a year of the epidemic, Hong Kong's tourism industry has come to a standstill.

According to figures released by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, there will be 3.6 million visitor arrivals to Hong Kong in 2020, a decrease of 93.6% from 55.9 million in 2019.

As for hotels, in 2020, hotel occupants are mainly local residents. In January, the hotel room occupancy rate was 59%, the highest for the whole year, but it fell to the lowest 29% in February, and then gradually recovered. The occupancy rate was recorded in December. Get 58%.

　　Having worked in the tourism industry in Hong Kong for decades, Ruian Lu has witnessed the prosperity of Hong Kong's tourism industry since the reunification with the support of the central government. Facing the current situation, he seems worried; he feels that the "Regulations Amendment Disturbance" in 2019 has caused Hong Kong's tourism industry. Huge shock: "Even if there is no epidemic, many people are already asking where the development of Hong Kong's tourism industry is going? Many tourists in the tourism industry are in confusion."

　　It is reported that the Hong Kong Tourism Board received additional funding of HK$765 million in 2021/2022. Together with the regular funding, the Hong Kong Tourism Board has a total of HK$1.138 billion in promotion expenditures.

　　According to industry sources, as citizens begin to vaccinate and local tour groups are expected to relax restrictions on group gatherings, in order to stimulate the recovery of the tourism industry, Hong Kong's tourism industry plans to resume "local tourism" in March, which may cause severe damage to Hong Kong's tourism industry. Bring "a ray of light".

　　"Hong Kong must concentrate on development and focus on construction and development." Lu Rui'an said that the relevant policies of the current SAR government are conducive to the recovery of the industry and also focus on the long-term development of the tourism industry.

However, the epidemic has not yet dissipated, and the industry is now more of a survival, and only after the epidemic is eliminated can we talk about the revitalization of the tourism industry.

　　"Hong Kong's tourism industry cannot rely on itself alone," Lu Ruian emphasized. Hong Kong's most elegant (Cantonese, great, powerful, and smart) is to play a window role. Hong Kong is backed by the huge hinterland and market of the mainland of the motherland. This is it. The biggest geographical feature is also the biggest competitive advantage.

　　Because the epidemic prevention and control measures are effective, the mainland tourism consumer confidence is steadily recovering. Ruian Lu emphasized that Hong Kong is currently facing multiple internal and external challenges, and that the country is a strong backing for Hong Kong’s development and integration into the development of the Greater Bay Area is the key to Hong Kong’s economy achieving both internal and external cycles The most efficient way.

Hong Kong can take advantage of the talents and market in the Greater Bay Area to accelerate Hong Kong's "internal cycle", use its own advantages such as "one country, two systems", common law, internationalization, and talents to move out of the Greater Bay Area and promote an economic "outer cycle."

　　"I hope that after the epidemic, under the leadership of the Greater Bay Area, Hong Kong can continue to play to its advantages," said Lu Rui'an, hoping that all sectors of Hong Kong can solve the problem of focusing on development as soon as possible. He believes that Hong Kong's tourism industry will be able to rely on the motherland and face the world. Create greater brilliance in the big pattern.

(Finish)