Zhejiang welcomes Hong Kong tour group

"We hope they will have an unforgettable journey," said He, who was part of the reception group at the airport.

The city will spare no effort in helping with the recovery of the tourism industry and spurring consumption, he added.

Recently, local authorities have introduced a raft of measures to encourage travel and spending.

For instance, Hangzhou's Shangcheng district, where the Deshou Palace is located, rolled out a 28-point policy package in early January offering free admission to all attractions in the first quarter of this year. Travel agencies will be given up to 300,000 yuan ($43,788) if they can attract tour groups to the district and use its hotels.