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Saturday 20 December 2008
Visa rules open door for more Shenzhen residents to visit city
People from other provinces living in Shenzhen will be allowed to apply for Hong Kong visas through the individual visit scheme without returning to their home provinces, the chief executive has announced.
Visa rules open door for more Shenzhen residents to visit city
Paggie Leung 20 December 2008
People from other provinces living in Shenzhen will be allowed to apply for Hong Kong visas through the individual visit scheme without returning to their home provinces, the chief executive has announced.
Also, permanent Shenzhen residents will be allowed to apply for multiple-entry visas to Hong Kong.
The two new measures, announced by Donald Tsang Yam-kuen in Beijing yesterday, were among 14 the central government unveiled to bolster Hong Kong’s economy.
“These two ground-breaking arrangements may not only increase the number of visitors under the individual visit scheme. They can also offer more convenience for trading activities between Hong Kong and Shenzhen,” Mr. Tsang said at the end of his “duty visit” to the capital.
Shenzhen has a population of 8.6 million, of which about 2.2 million are permanent residents who will be eligible to apply for the new one-year multiple-entry visas.
However, there has been no announcement on a much-anticipated expansion of the individual visit scheme to other second- and third-tier mainland cities. Mr. Tsang said only that Beijing would “aggressively consider” expanding it from the current 49 cities.
The tourism sector, hit by a fall in long-haul visitors as the financial crisis deepens, and the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau welcomed the measures.
“It’s good news,” said Michael Wu Siu-ieng, chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents.
He estimated that the number of mainland visitors would rise by 5 per cent, to more than 16 million per year, and offset the loss of long-haul visitors. He hoped the new arrangements would start before January 5.
Joseph Tung Yao-chung, director of the Travel Industry Council, said the new measures were “more direct than just expanding the scheme to more cities”.
Noting that Hongkongers made more than 10 million visits to Shenzhen every year, Mr. Tung said the new arrangements would allow Shenzhen residents to visit, shop and celebrate different occasions in Hong Kong more often.
Tourism Board chairman James Tien Pei-chun hoped the new measures would be extended to other mainland cities.
“As well as increasing the number of cities under the individual visit scheme, we hope that residents of other key scheme cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, can make multiple visits to Hong Kong with their one-year endorsement,” Mr. Tien said.
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Visa rules open door for more Shenzhen residents to visit city
Paggie Leung
20 December 2008
People from other provinces living in Shenzhen will be allowed to apply for Hong Kong visas through the individual visit scheme without returning to their home provinces, the chief executive has announced.
Also, permanent Shenzhen residents will be allowed to apply for multiple-entry visas to Hong Kong.
The two new measures, announced by Donald Tsang Yam-kuen in Beijing yesterday, were among 14 the central government unveiled to bolster Hong Kong’s economy.
“These two ground-breaking arrangements may not only increase the number of visitors under the individual visit scheme. They can also offer more convenience for trading activities between Hong Kong and Shenzhen,” Mr. Tsang said at the end of his “duty visit” to the capital.
Shenzhen has a population of 8.6 million, of which about 2.2 million are permanent residents who will be eligible to apply for the new one-year multiple-entry visas.
However, there has been no announcement on a much-anticipated expansion of the individual visit scheme to other second- and third-tier mainland cities. Mr. Tsang said only that Beijing would “aggressively consider” expanding it from the current 49 cities.
The tourism sector, hit by a fall in long-haul visitors as the financial crisis deepens, and the Commerce and Economic Development Bureau welcomed the measures.
“It’s good news,” said Michael Wu Siu-ieng, chairman of the Hong Kong Association of Travel Agents.
He estimated that the number of mainland visitors would rise by 5 per cent, to more than 16 million per year, and offset the loss of long-haul visitors. He hoped the new arrangements would start before January 5.
Joseph Tung Yao-chung, director of the Travel Industry Council, said the new measures were “more direct than just expanding the scheme to more cities”.
Noting that Hongkongers made more than 10 million visits to Shenzhen every year, Mr. Tung said the new arrangements would allow Shenzhen residents to visit, shop and celebrate different occasions in Hong Kong more often.
Tourism Board chairman James Tien Pei-chun hoped the new measures would be extended to other mainland cities.
“As well as increasing the number of cities under the individual visit scheme, we hope that residents of other key scheme cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou, can make multiple visits to Hong Kong with their one-year endorsement,” Mr. Tien said.
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