My Take | Hong Kong’s travel restrictions are increasingly difficult to justify

The 25th anniversary of Hong Kong’s return to China will, much like that historic day in 1997, be met with a wide range of events and festivities. There will be pomp and ceremony, including a parade by goose-stepping troops. The city might even be graced by the presence of one of China’s top leaders.

Interactive art installations, exhibitions and digital projections, will form part of what we are promised will be “wonderful” events. And sports facilities will be free on the big day, July 1.

But this time, unlike 25 years ago, the festivities will be almost exclusively for internal consumption. Any hope the anniversary would fuel a much-needed influx of foreign tourists has been dashed by Hong Kong’s dogged maintenance of pandemic travel restrictions. The city was opened up to foreign travellers on May 1. But there are hardly any takers. This is not surprising.

Anyone arriving in Hong Kong must spend seven days in a quarantine hotel. Why would any self-respecting tourist choose to visit the city? They can head to other Asian cities without starting their holiday with an expensive week of incarceration. No one is going to choose seven days in the airport hotel over a week on a beach in Phuket.

Quarantine is not the only deterrent. Hong Kong is still suspending flight routes over positive cases. This makes travel to the city uncertain and stressful. Getting the right test, hoping your flight is not delayed and praying you don’t test positive on arrival are all part of today’s Hong Kong experience.

My son is visiting the UK. He had a quarantine hotel safely booked for his return – until he didn’t. An email suddenly arrived, while he was on holiday, informing him his booking had been cancelled. The hotel had scrapped its plan to take arrivals. He was left scrambling for alternative accommodation and had to extend his trip. Every traveller has a different tale to tell.