Tourism

After the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government eased COVID-19 entry restrictions last month, ending the hotel quarantine requirement for inbound visitors, the city is gearing up to receive a rush of travellers. The Travel Industry Council expects departures to surge as much as 50% over the next few months. To lure visitors back to the city, meanwhile, the Hong Kong Tourism Board is set to offer 500,000 free airline tickets next year once all remaining travel restrictions are dropped.

The COVID-19 pandemic upended almost every line of business throughout the world, with few being more hard-hit than tourism and hospitality. Earnings slumped for hotels and associated services, including booking applications.

One of Hong Kong’s most prominent families, the Harilelas, recently opened a luxury hotel in the vibrant Wan Chai commercial district, targeting design-conscious travellers looking to stay in a prime city location.

The word “island” conjures up images of palm trees rustling in the wind while waves lap a golden beach – peace and tranquillity.

Leaf through any pictorial history book on Hong Kong and you cannot avoid noticing that the city has always been closely linked to the sea – pages will be full of images of tea clippers, junks, sampans, steamers and container freighters.

The COVID-19 pandemic has kept the world’s travellers at home and led everyone to focus on health, wellness and sustainability.