[Global Times Special Correspondent Ye Lan] With the gradual relaxation of epidemic prevention measures, the life of Hong Kong citizens has gradually returned to normal before the epidemic. Various economic activities and expos will be held in December, making public opinion full of expectations for the economic boost after customs clearance in January next year .

Crowds at local shopping festivals

　　Starting from December 9th, the 56th Hong Kong International Industrial Products Fair (Industrial Fair) opened in Victoria Park, Causeway Bay, and will be held until January 1st next year.

426 exhibitors set up more than 860 outdoor booths, including food and beverage areas, ginseng and seafood soup areas, and living furniture areas.

On December 22, after Hong Kong further relaxed the epidemic prevention measures, the trade fair resumed on-site tasting for the first time in three years.

According to the "Hong Kong Economic Daily" report, Cui Jiaquan, the joint venture business development manager of Nanbeihang, said that the overall sales situation is satisfactory at present. With the Lunar New Year coming next month, many people take the opportunity to buy more New Year's goods to welcome the Year of the Rabbit.

Shi Lide, the chairman of the organizer's Chamber of Commerce, also said that the scale of this exhibition has almost returned to the level before the epidemic. He hopes that in the future, it will continue to connect the international gates and lead other international events or exhibitions to return to Hong Kong to reproduce the prosperous scene before the epidemic. .

　　The loosening of epidemic prevention measures has also boosted consumption on other festivals.

This year's Christmas is the holiday with the most relaxed epidemic prevention measures since the outbreak of the new crown pneumonia epidemic. A large number of Hong Kong citizens, relatives and friends are invited to gather.

The end of the year is traditionally the peak season for marriage and consumption in Hong Kong. According to Hong Kong media, some wedding consultants said that some couples have already planned to increase their banquets.

People in Hong Kong's catering industry expect business to increase by 30-40%.

Huang Jiahe, chairman of the Hong Kong Catering Association, revealed that the business of the catering industry is gradually recovering, and Chinese restaurants will benefit the most. Club banquets and wedding banquets will gradually increase, and the closure of restaurants will officially end. "The most important thing is to drive the overall consumption atmosphere. Once the relaxed mood is restored, businesses from all walks of life will naturally increase, and the income of wage earners will also increase.”

During the winter solstice on the 22nd, the evening markets of many restaurants in various districts in Hong Kong were packed and the atmosphere was lively.

Huang Jiahe said that the reservation rate of the Winter Solstice restaurant this year has reached 80-90%, and the business volume of the industry is expected to reach 350 million Hong Kong dollars, an increase of more than 10% over the previous two years.

　　In addition, the 20th Hong Kong Winter Shopping Festival and the 20th Hong Kong Winter Food Festival opened on the 24th and will last until the 28th.

There are more than 1,000 exhibitor booths in the venue.

On the 25th, the three-day 17th Fishing and Food Carnival kicked off at Flower Market in Mong Kok, including about 200 local fish and agricultural product stalls, as well as local gourmet and organic or healthy food stalls, local fish and agricultural products themed photo punching district etc.

Further stimulate tourism

　　The tourism industry, which is very important to Hong Kong's economy, is also gradually recovering.

On December 14, the Hong Kong Tourism Board announced that it will launch a global promotion and provide a series of discounts such as free air tickets. The estimated promotional cost exceeds 100 million Hong Kong dollars.

The HKTB also resumed its Southeast Asian tourism industry delegation, receiving about 60 industry representatives from Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and other countries to visit new attractions such as the M+ Art Museum in the West Kowloon Cultural District and the Hong Kong Palace Museum.

Cheng Dingyi, Director-General of the HKTB, said that at least 200 major events and more than 100 large-scale conferences and exhibitions are tentatively scheduled to be held in Hong Kong next year.

　　It is worth mentioning that Shenzhen Luohu took the lead in introducing ten supporting measures (referred to as "Luohu Ten Measures"), and proposed a number of measures around outbound tourism, including encouraging the construction of "port tourism distribution centers" and encouraging enterprises to plan Shenzhen-Hong Kong themed boutique travel routes, etc. Financial support will be given to travel agencies that have successfully developed Shenzhen-Hong Kong "one-way multi-destination" boutique travel routes, Hong Kong residents' Luohu holiday tourism products, and whose annual tourist volume reaches a certain scale.

It is understood that there are more than 470 travel agencies in Luohu, including 135 outbound travel agencies, accounting for nearly 60% of the city's total.

　　According to the data released by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, about 113,000 tourists visited Hong Kong in early November, a month-on-month increase of 40%.

Yuan Zhenning, executive director of Zongyou, said on the 26th that since the relaxation of immigration measures in Hong Kong, about 20,000 people traveled abroad and about 10,000 people entered the country on the 23rd. more ideal.

Yuan Zhenning said that the most difficult period has passed, and he hoped that after the customs clearance between Hong Kong and the mainland in the future, it can further stimulate Hong Kong's economy, drive consumption and employment.

"Social atmosphere turns positive and optimistic"

　　According to statistics as of November 29, Hong Kong's economy contracted by 4.5% in the third quarter following a 1.3% decline in the second quarter of 2022.

Taking into account the weaker-than-expected economic performance in the first three quarters and the uncertain global economic outlook, the SAR government has revised its forecast for real GDP growth in Hong Kong to negative 3.2% in 2022.

Headline consumer prices rose 1.8 percent in October 2022 from a year earlier, down from a corresponding rise of 4.4 percent in September.

The SAR government predicts that Hong Kong's basic consumer prices will maintain a moderate increase in 2022, and the annual inflation rate is predicted to be 1.8%.

In terms of retail sales, in September 2022 there was a slight increase of 0.2% over the same month last year.

　　Financial Secretary Chen Maobo said on the 25th that Hong Kong has experienced ups and downs in 2022, and the social atmosphere has turned positive and optimistic. With the joint efforts of the government and all sectors of society, Hong Kong has accelerated its return to normal and the prospects are very bright. He is full of confidence in Hong Kong's future.

　　Hong Kong media specifically mentioned that with the introduction of the "New Ten Measures" for epidemic prevention in the Mainland, a new page has been opened for the return of the social economy, and various provinces have successively deployed to fight for the economy.

"Sing Tao Daily" published an editorial on the 26th, saying that Chief Executive Li Jiachao recently returned to Hong Kong from Beijing to report on his duties, bringing good news to the public. Hong Kong and the mainland have suspended customs clearance for nearly three years, and the central government has approved the resumption in mid-January next year.

Not only is it convenient for the people of the two places to go back and forth, but it can also make Hong Kong's economy alive and active.

At the end of the article, it is said that Hong Kong and the mainland will have full customs clearance. As long as the principle of "life first, people first" is implemented, the lives and health of the people in the two places are guaranteed, and the convenience of people's travel is taken care of, the economies of Hong Kong and the mainland will naturally benefit, and recovery will come naturally. Things.

　　(Global Times)