Business and Finance

Fewer Mainlanders visit Hong Kong during May 1 holiday

Posted by Jeremy Goldkorn, May 16, 2006 10:59 AM
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In a recent Danwei TV episode about Mainland tourists in Hong Kong, a photographer with an instant print stall on Kowloon's waterfront promenade told us that there were fewer Mainland tourists in Hong Kong this year. We were inclined to attribute his comments on the fact that Mainland tourists are more and more likely to have digital cameras, and not need the services of street-side photographers.

However, the Economist's City Guide to Hong Kong had this to say:


While cosmopolitan Hong Kongers tend to see themselves as a cut above their mainland compatriots, they are happy to milk mainlanders for their tourist dollars. But there was a 20% drop in visitors during the week-long May Day holiday, a peak-time for tourism. A spokeswoman for the Hong Kong Tourist Guides Association told the South China Morning Post that the number of guides employed during the May Day holiday had halved, and their overall earnings were down by 70-80%.

Many say this drop in tourists is caused by the behaviour of unscrupulous tour operators...

...At the same time, prices for hotels commonly used by mainlanders have risen between 20% and 40% in the last year.

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There are currently 3 Comments for Fewer Mainlanders visit Hong Kong during May 1 holiday.

Comments on Fewer Mainlanders visit Hong Kong during May 1 holiday

Is that a storm brewing in the background or is that the pollution from Guangzhou?

Posted by: Gordon | May 16, 2006 2:16 PM

Rain clouds

Posted by: Jeremy | May 16, 2006 4:04 PM

I took the gf's parents there in the Chinese New Year and we were urged by all and sundry to book everything well in advance, and that prices would shoot up due to the influx of tourists.

Not true, hotels were easy to find, and got the same rates as I always do. Ditto Macau.

Dali in Lijiang province on May Day, however, was over-run with tourists. Its seems affordable inland options are still attracting the big crowds.

And of course, Disneyland is emerging as a small lump of culturally inappropriate crap that savvy mainland seven year olds just think is very uncool. A mouse? That I can't shoot interactively online? Bo---ring! Ayi! Bring me my playstation, NOW!

Posted by: Hummer | May 16, 2006 4:54 PM

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