China: Hong Kong faces tourism crisis with drop in visitors from mainland China

September 30, 2024_ The number of mainland Chinese visitors to Hong Kong is set to remain below pre-pandemic levels for the next two years, as a growing preference for other destinations. According to Fanny Yeung, executive director of the Travel Industry Council, the annual cap on visitors during the "golden week" in October is just part of a broader problem affecting the tourism sector. A shortage of tour guides has been identified as a major cause of the decline, while tourists are tending to choose destinations such as Japan. Doreen Kong Yuk-foon's law highlights the need to promote Hong Kong as a tourist destination. The news is reported by the South China Morning Post. The council is working with the Hong Kong Tourism Board to attract high-end tourists and stimulate the sector's recovery.