Indian business leaders angry over proposal to abolish Hong Kong visa waiver programme for compatriots
Business leaders say their compatriots will avoid Hong Kong on their way to the mainland if the visa waiver programme is abolished
Some of the most prominent figures in Hong Kong's Indian community have lashed out at suggestions to end the visa waiver programme for Indian nationals, saying such a scenario would be a "nightmare" for business and tourism.
They warned that the move would result in visitors bypassing Hong Kong as their traditional transit point en route to the mainland and it would not be fitting for the status of Asia's so-called "World City".
"This will send a very negative message," said Rajkumar Sabnani, a long-time Hong Kong resident from India and committee member of the Indian Chamber of Commerce in the city. "This will result in a loss to Hong Kong, I believe."
The Security Bureau has said it is considering scrapping the programme for Indians in an effort to curb the number of asylum seekers.
The idea was mooted by members of the Liberal Party, who on Tuesday met with officials from the bureau to discuss the allegedly increasing number of refugees applying for asylum in Hong Kong.
However, the timing of the proposal shocked Sabnani, who pointed out that the Indian government just weeks ago announced an electronic visa scheme for Chinese people to visit India.
"The Indian economy is starting to boom and people want to travel. If this new policy is enacted, businessmen will no longer come to Hong Kong on their way to China," he said.
"The government should find another way to reduce the number of asylum seekers."
Rajeev Bhasin, managing director of the Mayfare restaurant group, echoed the sentiment.
"The sheer number of Indians coming to Hong Kong and Macau for exhibitions, fairs and casinos is huge. Imagine if these group tours of up to 400 people have to get visas. It will be a nightmare," he said.
"Businesspeople will also skip Hong Kong. I am sure my business friends will not come to Hong Kong if they have to go through the hassle of getting a visa."
Dominic Lee Tsz-king - chairman of the Liberal Party's Youth Committee and a key force behind the proposal - defended the move as a "sacrifice to protect our borders".
"For legitimate visitors, it's not too much hassle to get visas these days. It can be done online or through many mediums," said Lee.
The financial drain caused by asylum seekers more than outweighed the economic contribution by Indian tourists, he insisted.
"With a view to ensuring a proper balance between facilitation of genuine visitors and the need to safeguard the integrity of immigration control, the visa policy is subject to constant review and changes will be introduced if circumstances so warrant," a spokesman for the Security Bureau said.
