The relaxation of visa arrangements for mainland business travellers and the abolition of quotas for tours to Hong Kong could generate $1.4 billion a year, a leading tourism official said yesterday.
The executive director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, Clara Chong Ming-wah, said the two measures could bring 300,000 extra mainland visitors to Hong Kong each year.
Mainland visitors are the biggest single group of tourists - more than three million arrive each year.
It is estimated that each spends an average of about $4,800 and that the SAR could therefore pocket at least $1.4 billion a year from the extra numbers.
The relaxation of visa arrangements will take effect on Saturday, while the quota system, which restricts the daily number of mainland visitors to 1,500, is due to be scrapped in January.
Last month, the number of mainland visitors was 25.5 per cent higher than in October last year. It is expected that mainland visitor numbers will continue to grow with the lifting of restrictions on tour agencies operating SAR tours.
