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A group of representatives from tourism-related industries staged a rally at the Golden Bauhinia Square in Wan Chai to promote Hong Kong as a tourist-friendly and welcoming city. Photo: SCMP Pictures

Hongkongers must promise to behave well towards mainland visitors before deal on tourism

Chief executive said to have agreed with industry leader that city’s residents must stop ‘insulting’ mainlanders before more visits are allowed

Hongkongers need to promise to behave well towards mainland visitors before any attempt will be made to beseech the central government to help revitalise the city’s tourism industry, the chief executive told a travel industry representative.

Leung Chun-ying allegedly agreed in a conversation with travel agent owners association president Yip Hing-ning, to ask the central government to resume the multiple-entry scheme and to open up new mainland cities to the individual visit scheme – if Hong Kong could reach a consensus “not to kick tourists’ luggages and other insulting actions”.

The revelation came as Hong Kong experiences one of its quietest Labour Day golden weeks according to representatives of tourism and related industries, at a rally yesterday. Tour groups were predicted to decrease by half from last year’s 300 to about 150 this weekend, in the same period of time.

Yip first confirmed but later denied that the chief executive “made a promise” to make the request on behalf of the city’s hard-hit tourist industry to the mainland. He refused to clarify further.

A spokesman for the chief executive’s office confirmed the meeting, but said there was “nothing to announce”, regarding policy changes.

The conversation was leaked out through a text message, which the sender – another travel agent owners association president Alan Lam – said was only posted in three private groups consisting of industry insiders.

Yip relayed his exchange with the chief executive to Lam in a “private setting”, Lam said he did not intended for it to be made public.

“Making it easier for mainland tourists to visit is always a good thing,” said Lam, on whether he was for resuming the multiple-entry scheme.

The multiple-entry visa scheme for Shenzhen residents was tightened after local backlash against those who use the policy for parallel-goods trading – buying up goods in Hong Kong to sell across the border.

Some anti-parallel trading protests in the past year had been violent. Another one is slated for today in Sheung Shui.

Organiser Leung Kam-shing said to resume the multiple-entry policy would further intensify clashes and deepen the social divide.

Both executive director of Federation of Hong Kong Hotel Owners Michael Li Hon-sing and Travel Industry Council chairman Jason Wong Chun-tat expressed concerns that it may not be an appropriate time to do so.

“We need to consider whether we have the ability [to receive more mainland visitors] and whether our infrastructure can cope with this development,” said Li.

Wong said it is important to balance the interests of local residents, and that it’s “for the public to decide” when to implement such policies.

The animosity towards parallel trading and also mainland media reports that Hongkonger were unfriendly towards mainlanders had affected the local tourism industry, industry representatives said, but that did not deter some tourists to visit the city this weekend.

“We do know that the portrayal of Hongkongers were probably exaggerated by the mainland media,” said Axel Zhang. The architect, who came on through the individual travel scheme, said his experience with Hongkongers had been good, and that he was in the city for the food, the sights but also to “experience the city”.

Wong Ka-ngai from the Tour Guides General Union said half of the tour guides he knows – including himself – do not have a job this weekend, despite the time period traditionally being a busy time for them.

“It’s the worst ever this year,” said Wong, and blamed the anti-mainland sentiment for keeping visitors away.

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