Vehicles depart for Hong Kong at the Heung Yuen Wai/Liantang Control Point at the Hong Kong-Shenzhen boundary in south China, Feb 6, 2023. (PHOTO / XINHUA)
Shenzhen is distributing 5 million yuan ($725,816) worth of consumption vouchers in a move to promote the integrated development of the tourism industry in Shenzhen and Hong Kong.
With three types of vouchers available, travelers can enjoy a 150 yuan subsidy when they spend 400 yuan, a 270 yuan subsidy when they spend 700 yuan, and a 500 yuan subsidy when they spend 1,300 yuan
The consumption vouchers, which will be issued from April 20 to June 30, are to be used on Shenzhen-Hong Kong joint tours, such as joint travel to tourist attractions in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, joint sightseeing in Shenzhen and Hong Kong, etc.
With three types of vouchers available, travelers can enjoy a 150 yuan subsidy when they spend 400 yuan, a 270 yuan subsidy when they spend 700 yuan, and a 500 yuan subsidy when they spend 1,300 yuan.
ALSO READ:Tourism sees big surge ahead of May Day holiday
People can apply for the consumption vouchers through Chinese short video platform Douyin.
The move came as Hong Kong’s tourism is enjoying a significant rebound following the city’s scrapping of all its anti-pandemic restrictions. According to a preliminary estimate by the Hong Kong Tourism Board, tourist arrivals in Hong Kong reached 2.45 million in March, an increase of 68 percent on a monthly basis.
The city recorded 4.41 million tourist arrivals in the first quarter, equivalent to roughly 30 percent of the average monthly level from 2017 to 2019, before the coronavirus outbreak.
HKTB expects the number of visitors to increase to 50 percent of the pre-pandemic level during the upcoming May Day holiday on the mainland – from April 29 to May 3.
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According to online travel agency Trip.com, as of April 14, Hong Kong was the most popular destination outside the mainland for air ticket bookings over the five-day holiday period.
Shenzhen and Hong Kong are making efforts to deepen tourism cooperation. Earlier this week, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung visited Shenzhen, where he discussed with local officials ways to promote cultural, sports and tourism cooperation between the two cities.
