FROM September 21, non-permanent residents in six Chinese cities – Beijing, Tianjin, Shanghai, Chongqing, Guangzhou and Shenzhen – will be allowed to apply for visas to Hong Kong under the Individual Visit Scheme (IVS) from their residing cities instead of their hometowns, prompting concerns about the potential impacts of the influx of Chinese travellers on Hong Kong.
With the eased regulations, some 14 million people will qualify for visa applications, while an additional four million non-local residents from neighbouring Shenzhen will be eligible for multiple-entry visas to Hong Kong, which according to sources, will mostly benefit students and migrant workers with lower spending power.
Tomco Incentive and Travel Service, marketing director, Kevin Leung said: “Hong Kong is benefiting from China but at the expense of other markets. Hotel rates (in Hong Kong) are currently unbelievably expensive and I foresee rates will become even higher in the future.”
– Read more in TTG Asia September 7, 2012
