Visitor arrivals to Hong Kong decline 99 pct in March

The provisional figure for visitor arrivals to Hong Kong in March was 82,000, a drop of nearly 99 percent from the same time last year, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) announced on Wednesday.

According to figures released by the HKTB, before mid-March, the average daily arrivals to Hong Kong were about 3,000 to 4,000; starting from March 19, when inbound travelers arriving from overseas are requested to undergo compulsory quarantine, the average daily visitors fell to about 1,000.

The number of arrivals plunged to 300 per day since March 25, when non-Hong Kong residents coming from overseas countries and regions were banned from entering Hong Kong.

In the beginning of April, the average daily visitors further dropped to below 100.

The HKTB said it is working on a series of initiatives to prepare for the recovery of Hong Kong's tourism industry.

"We have invited representatives from the travel trade, attractions, hotels, aviation, retail as well as Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions (MICE) sectors to join our task force and share their views on a regular basis," it said.

The HKTB added that it has also planned to collaborate with retail and dining sectors to roll out promotional campaigns after the epidemic abates so as to stimulate local spending and send positive messages to restore visitors' confidence in visiting Hong Kong.