Secretary for Commerce & Economic Development Edward Yau has signed a deal to enhance tourism co-operation with the Mainland.
He signed the Agreement on Further Enhancement of Tourism Co-operation between the Mainland & Hong Kong with China National Tourism Administration Vice Chairman Du Jiang in Beijing today.
The deal will see the joint development of Maritime Silk Road tourism products, promote Belt & Road markets and enrich multi-destination travel itineraries.
It will promote bilateral co-operation in cruise tourism and allow more Hong Kong travel agents to operate outbound travel business for Mainland residents under the Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement framework.
It will also see the formation of a regular communication and co-ordination mechanism to study issues on regional tourism co-operation and regulation.
The Commerce & Economic Development Bureau said about half of international visitors on short-haul trips travel to Hong Kong on multi-destination itineraries, compared to more than 90% of those on long-haul trips.
Developing multi-destination travel itineraries will help attract more Hong Kong visitors who will travel on to other cities, and complement the Belt & Road Initiative and the development of the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Bay Area, the bureau added.
