Relaxed travel rules likely to lure 350,000 tourists from Guangdong

At least 350,000 mainland tourists are expected to cross the border to Hong Kong during the Labour Day holiday week next month.

The travel industry said more tourists could be expected in May, depending on when the central government extended the individual travel policy to all Guangdong cities.

The policy has been implemented in 14 of Guangdong's 21 cities, as well as Beijing and Shanghai, since July. The policy will be expanded to include the remaining seven Guangdong cities next month, but no date has been given.

Charles Ng Kwong-wai, vice-chairman of the Hong Kong Inbound Tour Operator Association, said about 80 per cent of the 350,000 visitors would be individual travellers, with the rest coming in tour groups. Ninety per cent of tour visitors would come from outside Guangdong.

'The influx is slightly lower than past Labour Day holidays when we had about 400,000,' he said. 'This is because the hotel and tour operators have started communicating in the past two years. They won't send in too many tourists when occupancy rates are high.'

He said hotel room rates had increased by $100 to $200 a night.