Individual travel to HK opens to nine more cities
22/4/2004 17:36
As of July 1 this year, residents of nine cities (Fuzhou, Xiamen,
Quanzhou, Nanjing, Suzhou, Wuxi, Hangzhou, Ningbo and Taizhou) are allowed to
visit Hong Kong and Macau individually. In the past they had to be part of
groups organized by travel agencies, according to the Shanghai Office of the
Hong Kong Tourism Board, the Shanghai Morning Post reported.
Individuals of
these nine cities, with certificates, can arrange for permits to Hong Kong and
Macau by themselves.
Convenient procedures are expected to drive up the
number of people in the nine cities wanting to visit Hong Kong, said an industry
analyst.
Direct flights to Hong Kong are unavailable in some cities, so
residents will turn to the neighboring cities, the analyst pointed out.
Although Dragonair has already opened direct flights to Hong Kong in
Hangzhou, Nanjing and Ningbo in the first half of the year, Suzhou, Wuxi and
Taizhou as yet do not have such flights. This situation is likely to place
pressure on the aviation capacity of Shanghai, he stressed.
As of July 1, the
number of Suzhou and Wuxi residents traveling to Hong Kong will soar, and many
of them will prefer to fly from Shanghai, said a spokesman with a local travel
agency, adding that air tickets will be hard to get during peak periods such as
the weeklong holiday.
Wendy Zhang/ Shanghai Daily news
|
