Hong Kong doesn't have the capacity to allow more visitors, says green advocate

There are worrying signs that Hong Kong's tourism appeal is stronger than its capacity to accommodate visitors, according to standards adopted overseas.

With 4.1 million potential new tourists knocking on Hong Kong's door in Shenzhen, Roy Tam Hoi-bong, of the environmental organisation Green Sense, says there are clear signs that some districts in Hong Kong are unable to handle the hordes. He says the city is overcrowded and its social capacity has also been exceeded.

"People have nowhere to go over the weekend as everywhere is packed with tourists," he said. "Shops serving the community, especially in Sheung Shui, are being replaced by pharmacies and retailers targeting travellers."

A study commissioned by the European Commission says social carrying capacity can be defined as the level of tourism that will not be resented by the local population, affect their sense of identity or pre-empt their use of services.

Physical capacity can be set in terms of acceptable levels of density, maximum acceptable loss of natural resources, pollution levels, intensity of use of transport infrastructure and the availability of community facilities catering to medical and housing demands.

Tourism carrying capacity, as defined by the United Nations' World Tourism Organisation, is the "maximum number of people that may visit a tourist destination at the same time, without causing destruction of the physical, economic and social environment".

Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying announced yesterday the suspension of a new policy that would have allowed 4.1 million non-residents of Shenzhen to enter Hong Kong on multiple-visit permits.