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Latest news and updates on the reopening of the border between Hong Kong and mainland China amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Survey of 30,000 local people has come up with some inside information on city sights, sounds and tastes visitors will find invaluable.
Heartbreak for families with the bodies of at least 200 people from Hong Kong who wanted to be buried in mainland China still in storage.
Visitors from across the border are of course welcome, but herding them around like sheep and disrupting local life are issues that must be looked at.
Harassment of visitors is intolerable and city’s equality watchdog is right to propose extending anti-discrimination law to arrivals from across the border.
Hong Kong needs more out-of-the-box ideas to rebrand itself as place people from the mainland and elsewhere want to visit.
The return to Hong Kong of those trafficking goods across the border is not only raising tensions locally, but also hurting the tax take of mainland China.
- Sales of insurance policies to mainland Chinese visitors hit HK$46.8 billion (US$6 billion) in the nine months to September, compared with HK$1 billion a year ago
- Manulife and Prudential are upbeat on policy sales in the fourth quarter amid rising demand from mainland Chinese visitors
John Lee urges businesses to explore ways to get more than 7 million residents staying in Hong Kong to spend locally.
Tourism chief Kevin Yeung says 38,981 tour groups from mainland visited between January 1 and November 15 this year, with city recording growth every month.
Hong Kong’s tourist hotspot of Tsim Sha Tsui retained its ranking as the most expensive retail destination in Asia-Pacific, but slipped to third place globally, according to a survey by Cushman & Wakefield.
Residents drawn by price, freshness and wide variety can also have their crabs cooked on the spot in Shenzhen supermarket.
Hongkongers heading north say crossing is more convenient after mainland authorities scrap mandatory health declaration introduced during Covid-19 pandemic.
Tourism minister Kevin Yeung says change unlikely to affect flows over border, but catering, retail leaders say more needs to done to ensure residents spend at home.
Hong Kong’s lived-in home prices fell by nearly 1.75 per cent in September to their lowest since April 2017, as elevated interest rates have dampened sentiment and kept buyers on the sidelines.
‘It’s our first time in three years,’ says one resident visiting cemetery in Shenzhen to sweep the graves of her parents.
11 Skies, touted as Hong Kong’s largest indoor entertainment hub, is adding Vquarium, the city’s first-ever ‘virtual deep-ocean adventure experience’, to its list of attractions, as landlords beef up entertainment offerings in shopping malls.
Some of those heading north say cities like Shenzhen offer better value for money and greater food options.
Restaurant industry figures predict the National Day long weekend take will be 50 per cent up on last year.
Strong foreign and domestic competition for tourist dollar and weak renminbi set to shorten trips of travellers from across border.
Tickets to Disneyland, afternoon tea at The Peninsula and fine dining with wine pairings – these are just some of the incentives with which major banks such as HSBC and Standard Chartered plan to woo high-flying mainland Chinese customers during the ‘golden week’ holiday.
Japanese furniture retailer Nitori Holdings, which opened its first outlet in Hong Kong on Wednesday, plans to gradually expand its footprint to 20 across the city in the coming years, according to a top executive.
Prudential Hong Kong will continue to invest in AI and technology to boost its insurance business, while it expects mainlanders will continue to come to Hong Kong to buy the policies in the second half, according to its top boss.
‘If spending across the border becomes a regular habit, we are doomed,’ an industry leader says.
Readers discuss the central government’s plan for Hong Kong, the Hong Kong tourist experience on the mainland, and what life is like for non-tourists in Macau.
Manulife will open its second prestige customer centre in Hong Kong and invest more on digital tools to support growing business from returning mainland Chinese customers, its newly appointed Asia CEO says.
Readers discuss the transition to green transport, whether street art has a place in the city, and the importance of sunset clauses in pandemic legislation.
Source says criminals gave fake identity cards to mainlanders to secure low-paid jobs in city, before pocketing most of their salaries.
AIA Group’s new sales value grew 37 per cent in the first half, helped by new policy sales in Hong Kong to mainland Chinese customers seeking better investment returns and a hedge against currency weakness.
At least four mainland schools catering to Hong Kong pupils have applied to be Diploma of Secondary Education exam centres, according to principal.
Mainland Chinese are rushing to open bank accounts in Hong Kong, buy insurance policies and investment products or swap their cash for local or US currency as the yuan slumps to the weakest since October.
Visitors are back, but their tastes have changed – they’re flocking to open-air food stalls, local cafes and arts venues.
Slow period exacerbated by residents crossing the border for a bargain and mainland Chinese tourists spending less, industry representatives say.
First batch of imported workers for transport industry expected to arrive in city by end of year, and for many, higher pay and new way of life is convincing them to put down new roots.
Some landmark spots in Taiwan are relatively quiet compared with when sites were packed with mainland Chinese tourists before the pandemic, forcing those who depend on tourism to adapt to new trends.
The Hong Kong government has revised the city’s full-year economic forecast to 4-5 per cent growth.
