Mainland China’s extension of Hong Kong solo visitor scheme generates lukewarm response in target cities Xian and Qingdao
- Residents in two cities say change will not drive more traffic to Hong Kong as present arrangements not much different; no surge in bookings
- Social media users in the two cities question need for change and say individual travellers with group visas have made solo trips to Hong Kong for years
Residents in the two mainland cities predicted the change, which came into effect on Wednesday, would not drive more traffic to Hong Kong as the present arrangements were not much different and travel agents said there had been no jump in bookings.
Hundreds of social media users took to the X-like online networking tool Weibo and mainland version of Instagram Xiaohongshu to question the need for the new policy and highlighted that individual travellers who held group tour visas had made independent trips to Hong Kong for years.
“I don’t understand the difference and significance of granting individual visas in cities that were previously restricted to group visas,” one post on Xiaohongshu said. “Unless the multi-entry visa is granted, it seems like an unnecessary step.
“Essentially, nationwide group visa holders can travel independently to Hong Kong and Macau, with only a difference in the visa name.”
But another post said: “[This policy] is intended to legitimise [independent travel].”