Solo travellers from Guangdong are allowed in from July; Tung says the safety of Hongkongers will not be threatened
A million more people from Guangdong are expected to visit Hong Kong every year when restrictions on individual travel are lifted in July.
The long-awaited lifting of restrictions on Guangdong tourists coming to Hong Kong other than in group tours was announced yesterday by Chief Executive Tung Chee-hwa.
The news follows the decision of the National Tourism Administration to permit the resumption from tomorrow of tours from Guangdong to Hong Kong and Macau. Mr Tung said Guangdong Governor Huang Huahua had pledged to facilitate individual travel to Hong Kong.
'I expect it will be implemented in stages starting from July,'' the chief executive said. 'We will ensure that the sudden influx of mainland tourists will not threaten the safety and health of Hong Kong people.'
In his policy address in January, Mr Tung said the central government had agreed to allow residents of Guangdong - which has a population of 73 million - to visit Hong Kong on an individual basis. But no date was set.