Proper as Japan formally opens to vacationers once more, one other widespread East Asian journey vacation spot has introduced a tempting journey deal for guests. In an try and lure vacationers again after two years of strict COVID-19 quarantine restrictions, Hong Kong’s vacationer board is freely giving half 1,000,000 free aircraft tickets in 2023.
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It’s not a brand new plan, precisely. The Airport Authority of Hong Kong first introduced plans to offer away 500,000 flight tickets (price round $254.8 million) again in 2020, as a part of a authorities help bundle for the aviation trade. As of this week, that plan is formally within the works.
Initially, this plan would goal Southeast Asian international locations. Hopefully, extra official particulars in regards to the deal shall be out there quickly.
This initiative marks a giant shift from Hong Kong’s previous pandemic protocols. Again within the earlier days of COVID-19, solely residents of the town had been allowed to enter, they usually needed to quarantine in a resort for 21 days upon arrival. The required quarantine interval has since been lowered to seven days, then three days, earlier than lastly being scrapped on September 26, 2022.
Unsurprisingly, Hong Kong tourism has fallen drastically up to now few years. The Hong Kong Tourism Board advised the Taipei Occasions that it recorded 76,000 vacationer arrivals within the first half of 2022, in comparison with 65 million throughout the 12 months of 2018.
Though the resort quarantine has been lifted, there are nonetheless sure guidelines and restrictions that guests to Hong Kong should comply with. Incoming worldwide vacationers should submit a pre-flight vaccination certificates, a adverse PCR check, and a fast antigen check. As soon as they’ve entered, guests should monitor their well being for 3 days, and are prohibited from visiting bars or eating places. They need to additionally full PCR checks two, 4, and 6 days after arrival, and a fast antigen check each seven days.