**: People's *** Kitchen - Sun and Moon Talk Studio].
Recently, it was approved to add Xi'an City, Shaanxi Province and Qingdao City, Shandong Province as "Individual Visit Destination" cities for mainland China to Hong Kong and Macao. Since March 6 this year, "Individual Travel Endorsements" for eligible persons to and from Hong Kong and Macao have been issued in Xi'an and Qingdao Cities. This is the "New Year gift package" distributed in line with the economic development situation of Hong Kong and Macao and the demands of all walks of life. This gift adds joy to the Chinese New Year of the Dragon in Hong Kong and Macao, and will inject new impetus into the tourism and economic development of Hong Kong and Macao.
In the Year of the Dragon, Hong Kong holds a Lunar New Year fireworks display. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Zhu Wei.
The "Individual Visit Scheme for Mainland Residents to Hong Kong and Macao" was launched in July 2003 and was implemented in four cities in Guangdong. People's memories are still fresh in people's minds, and the opening of the "Individual Visit Scheme" was a relief for the tourism industry in Hong Kong and Macao, which was experiencing a crisis at that time. Today, the addition of Xi'an and Qingdao brings the total number of "Individual Visit Visit" cities in the mainland to 51, which is the icing on the cake for the fast-growing tourism industry of Hong Kong and Macao.
It is opportune to increase the number of "Individual Visit Visit" cities in the Mainland. People from Hong Kong and Macao tourism circles have said: "We will carry forward the spirit of hospitality and make mainland tourists feel at home." "In recent years, Hong Kong's tourism industry has explored new routes such as in-depth tours, and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will host more than 100 cultural events in 2024, with steady growth in tourism products and facilities, urban transport capacity, the number of hotels, and the manpower of the service industry. Following the "tourism +" development approach, Macao will accelerate its development into a comprehensive tourism and leisure destination integrating food, vacation, sightseeing, shopping, entertainment, culture, medical care and sports. In terms of enhancing reception capacity and optimising the tourism environment, Hong Kong and Macao are ready to welcome more Mainland tourists.
There are also many facts that show that there is a foundation and conditions for the smooth implementation of the increase in the number of "individual visit" cities in the mainland. For example, transportation facilities such as the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, as well as customs clearance measures such as "co-location inspection", cooperative inspection and one-time clearance, have made it easier for mainland tourists to enter and leave Hong Kong and Macao. Another example is that the popularity of Hong Kong and Macao society towards mainland tourists has continued to rise in recent years, and the number of related disputes and conflicts has decreased significantly. At the same time, the order of mainland tourism to Hong Kong and Macao has been increasingly optimized, and the "zero group fee" and "shopping group" in the past have long been extinct, and the degree of tourism civilization has been continuously improved. It is foreseeable that the Hong Kong and Macao tour will allow more mainland tourists to have the experience of "coming with excitement and returning satisfied".
The increase in the number of "Individual Visit Visit" cities in the mainland reflects the strong support for the economic development of Hong Kong and Macao and the administration of the Special Administrative Region, as well as the deep concern for the livelihood and well-being of Hong Kong and Macao.
Over the past 20 years since its inception, the "Individual Visit Scheme" has brought abundant visitor flow and economic vitality to Hong Kong and Macao. According to industry estimates, every 1.5 million visitors to Hong Kong will bring about 01% economic growth. If the number of mainland visitors to Hong Kong in 2018 is 51 million, it is equivalent to a contribution of about 34% GDP increment. At the same time, tourism will also drive the development of a series of upstream and downstream industries, including retail, hotels, catering, conventions and exhibitions, culture and sports, performing arts, cross-border transportation, etc., which are related to the employment and livelihood of many Hong Kong and Macao residents. For the economy of Hong Kong and Macao, the "Individual Visit Scheme" is of great significance.
The Spring Festival holiday just passed witnessed the strong impetus of mainland tourists to Hong Kong and Macao. In eight days, the number of mainland tourists to Hong Kong and Macao reached 12550,000 and 10350,000 people, accounting for more than 70% of the total number of tourists respectively. The addition of two "Individual Visit Visit" cities in the Mainland will once again expand the source of Mainland tourists, enhance the enthusiasm of Mainland tourists to travel to Hong Kong and Macao, and will play an important role in promoting the recovery of grassroots service industries in Hong Kong and Macao, as well as the employment of the people, and alleviating the pressure on the economies of Hong Kong and Macao, especially Hong Kong.
Between the family, there should be more visits. The increase in the number of "Individual Visit Visits" to mainland cities will expand exchanges between Hong Kong, Macao and mainland residents, and will also help promote the integration of Hong Kong and Macao into the overall development of the country. It is believed that Hong Kong and Macao will seize this opportunity to enhance the level of tourism development, consolidate and enhance their unique status and advantages, and achieve faster and better development.
People's *** Kitchen - Sun and Moon Talk Studio], only represents the author's point of view. The national party media information public platform provides information release and dissemination services.
id：bjh