Opinion | Going underground could give shops the space they need to deal with tourism boom

Restaurants, shops, theme parks and fast-food chains enjoyed brisk sales as hordes of tourists descended on Hong Kong during the Lunar New Year holiday, but how long can they cope with the escalating influx?

The Immigration Department recorded 850,000 visitor arrivals during the first three days of the Year of the Horse, starting on January 31, a 120 per cent jump from 380,000 in the first three days of the Lunar New Year last year and an increase of 197 per cent from 286,000 in 2012.

However, Hong Kong’s tourism facilities are nearly saturated, and the government is looking for ways to increase the supply of commercial space.

One of them was mentioned by Chief Executive Leung Chung-yin last month in his second policy speech.

He said “the government has commenced a study to identify districts with potential for developing urban underground space, with a view to increasing usable space and enhancing connectivity in the urban areas. We are preparing a pilot study covering four selected strategic districts, namely Tsim Sha Tsui West, Causeway Bay, Happy Valley and Admiralty/Wan Chai”.

On Wednesday last week, a paper prepared by the Planning Department and submitted to Yau Tsim Mong district councillors named Hong Kong Park, Victoria Park, the Happy Valley Racecourse, Kowloon Park, Southorn Playground and Hong Kong Stadium as potential areas for urban underground development.