HONG KONG, CHINA. In important news for the travel retail sector, the Chinese government has announced that residents of the cities of Xi’an and Qingdao will be able to apply to visit Hong Kong and Macau.
That’s according to a report by the South China Morning Post, citing a statement from Beijing’s Exit-Entry Administration Bureau.
Applications for solo travel permits will begin on 6 March.
Under the updated scheme, visitors from the two Mainland China cities can travel to Hong Kong once or twice within three months or a year, depending on the length of permit, and stay for up to seven days each time.
Travellers from the cities to Macau can visit once in a three-month or one-year period, and for a maximum of seven days.
Citing sources, The Post said the scheme, which has remained unchanged for the last 16 years, will be expanded to more cities soon including those in Heilongjiang province.
Currently, the scheme includes 49 cities in Mainland China, including all 21 cities in Guangdong province and top-tier cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Chengdu, Changsha, Chongqing and Wuhan, among others.
The latest policy also marks the first time a city in Shaanxi province has been included in the list.
The plan to include more Chinese cities in the individual visit scheme bodes well for Hong Kong as it aims to boost its economy by increasing tourist spending.
Visitors from Mainland China have long been considered the biggest luxury consumers in Hong Kong, indulging in luxury goods and duty free shopping in the city. ✈
