Hong Kong Retail Management Association: will continue to launch activities similar to Hong Kong Shopping Festival to support the growth of individual tourism.

On February 23, the National Immigration Administration announced that starting from March 6, 2024, it will issue "individual tourist endorsements" for eligible individuals in Xi'an and Qingdao to travel to Hong Kong and Macao. Stella Yim, the Chairman of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association, stated on a radio program that this is a good first step, but it is unlikely to have a significant immediate impact. She hopes for more cities to gradually open up and the association will continue to launch activities similar to the "Hong Kong Shopping Festival" to promote individual tourism. Stella Yim pointed out that travelers from Xi'an and Qingdao to Hong Kong are likely to be overnight visitors, which will help boost Hong Kong's tourism industry and night market. She also mentioned that the preferences of tourists from these two cities are similar to those of tourists from other cities in mainland China. The industry has recently launched different promotions, and the association will continue to launch activities like the "Hong Kong Shopping Festival" to promote individual tourism. Keith Wong, the President of the Hong Kong Catering Industry Association, mentioned in the same program that they warmly welcome the central government opening up more cities for "individual tourism" to Hong Kong and Macao. Although it may not immediately attract a large number of tourists from these two cities, he believes it can attract some people to visit Hong Kong on their own. He also believes that mainland China will open up more cities for "individual tourism" in the future, such as Harbin and Inner Mongolia.