Recently, the problems caused by some itineraries of mainland tourist groups in the Hung Hom and To Kwa Wan neighborhoods have raised concerns among the community.
Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said in a press conference today (March 28) that such incidents involved the mismanagement of tour groups.
"As an open and tolerant city, HK welcomes tourists, who are very important to stimulate the economy. Now HK is in the initial stage of recovery, better planning measures and management systems are needed for the tour groups," he stressed.
Lee said that the Cultural, Sports and Tourism Bureau and the Travel Industry Authority should come up with good solutions to deal with such problems, so that tourism development can be sustainable and tourists can have a better experience in HK.
Earlier, Secretary for Culture, Sports and Tourism Kevin Yeung Yun-hung has said Hong Kong authorities will address the recent problems for Hong Kong residents created by the itineraries of some Chinese mainland tour groups.
“The authorities hope that tourists will have a good experience when they come to Hong Kong, and also their visits will not affect local residents too much. If there is any need to make any changes, the authorities are willing to do so as long as it solves the problems,” Yeung told the Legislative Council Panel on Economic Development on Monday.
Local media on Friday reported that such tours have filled parts of Kowloon, with mainland tourists forced to eat cheap takeaway food orders on the streets. The article quoted lawmakers as saying that they had received complaints about forced shopping, a malpractice that sees travelers pressured to buy merchandise at shops that pay tour operators commissions.
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