The Government is fully aware of the pressure placed on different districts by the growth in visitor numbers and takes the matter seriously, Chief Executive Carrie Lam said today. 

Answering lawmakers’ queries at the Chief Executive’s Question time today, Mrs Lam noted tourism is an important pillar of Hong Kong’s economy, as it creates some 300,000 jobs despite accounting for less than 5% of GDP. 

However, it is difficult to add tourist attractions because there is insufficient land, she said. 

Mrs Lam added that in the short-term, the Government can only hope to prevent tourists from congregating in a certain area.
 

The Chief Executive said the Government has been working very hard with the tourism sector to divert visitors to different areas to minimise the impact on particular districts, adding that she will ask the Commerce & Economic Development Bureau to look into the city’s reception capacity.