This "New Year gift package" will further boost the development of Hong Kong and Macao
Wang Ping " " (Page 03, February 29, 2024)
Recently, the State Council approved the addition of Xi'an City in Shaanxi Province and Qingdao City in Shandong Province as mainland cities for "individual travel" to Hong Kong and Macao.
This is a "New Year gift package" distributed by the central government in response to the economic development situation of Hong Kong and Macao and the demands of all sectors of society.
This gift adds joy to the New Year of the Dragon in Hong Kong and Macao, and will inject new impetus into the tourism and economic development of Hong Kong and Macao.
The "Individual Travel for Mainland Residents to Hong Kong and Macao" was launched in July 2003, with four cities in Guangdong taking the lead in implementing it.
People still remember that the opening of "individual tours" provided a timely help to the tourism industry of Hong Kong and Macao, which was experiencing a crisis at that time.
Today, the addition of Xi'an and Qingdao brings the number of "individual travel" cities in the mainland to 51, which is the icing on the cake for the rapidly recovering tourism industry in Hong Kong and Macao.
It is the right time to increase the number of “individual tours” to cities in the Mainland.
People in the tourism industry in Hong Kong and Macao have said: "We will carry forward hospitality and make mainland tourists feel at home." In recent years, the Hong Kong tourism industry has explored new routes such as in-depth tours. The SAR government will hold more than 100 cultural events in 2024, tourism products and facilities, cities Transport capacity, number of hotels, and manpower in the service industry are all growing steadily.
Macao follows the "Tourism +" development idea and accelerates the construction of a comprehensive tourism and leisure destination integrating food, vacation, sightseeing, shopping, entertainment, culture, medical care, sports and other elements.
In terms of improving reception capacity and optimizing the tourism environment, Hong Kong and Macao are ready to welcome more mainland tourists.
There are also many facts that show that the increase in "individual travel" to mainland cities has the foundation and conditions for smooth implementation.
For example, transportation facilities such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, and customs clearance measures such as "co-location", cooperative inspection, and one-time release have made it more convenient for mainland tourists to enter and exit Hong Kong and Macao.
Another example is that the popularity of Hong Kong and Macao society for mainland tourists has continued to increase in recent years, and related disputes and conflicts have been significantly reduced.
At the same time, the order of travel from the mainland to Hong Kong and Macao is increasingly optimized. The past "zero-fare" and "shopping tours" have long since disappeared, and the level of tourism civilization continues to improve.
It is foreseeable that the trip to Hong Kong and Macao will allow more mainland tourists to have the experience of "coming here with pleasure and returning with satisfaction".
The increase in "individual travel" cities in the mainland reflects the central government's continued strong support for the economic development of Hong Kong and Macao and the administration of the SAR government, and the central government's deep concern for the livelihood and well-being of the people of Hong Kong and Macao.
"Individual Tour" has been launched for more than 20 years, bringing abundant passenger flow and economic vitality to Hong Kong and Macao.
According to industry estimates, every 1.5 million tourists visiting Hong Kong will bring about 0.1% economic growth to Hong Kong.
If we take the 51 million mainland tourists visiting Hong Kong in 2018, it is equivalent to a contribution of approximately 3.4% to the GDP increase.
At the same time, tourism will also drive the development of a series of upstream and downstream industries, including retail, hotels, catering, conventions and exhibitions, culture and sports, performing arts, cross-border transportation, etc., which are related to the employment and livelihood of many Hong Kong and Macao residents.
For the economy of Hong Kong and Macao, "individual tourism" is of great importance and significance.
The Spring Festival holiday that just passed witnessed the strong driving force of mainland tourists for tourism in Hong Kong and Macao.
In eight days, mainland tourists to Hong Kong and Macao reached 1.255 million and 1.035 million respectively, accounting for more than 70% of the total number of tourists in each country.
The addition of two mainland "individual travel" cities this time will once again expand the mainland tourist source and increase the enthusiasm of mainland tourists to travel to Hong Kong and Macao. It will also promote the recovery of the grassroots service industry in Hong Kong and Macao and provide employment for the people, and relieve the pressure on the economy of Hong Kong and Macao, especially Hong Kong. will all play an important role.
A family should visit more often and communicate with each other more frequently.
The increase in "individual tours" to mainland cities will expand exchanges between residents of Hong Kong, Macao and the mainland, and will also help promote the integration of Hong Kong and Macao into the overall development of the country.
I believe that Hong Kong and Macau will seize this opportunity to improve the development level of tourism, consolidate and enhance their unique status and advantages, and achieve faster and better development.
(People's Daily Overseas Edition)