What do you need for your trip to Hong Kong?many, many tests
Travelers heading to Hong Kong no longer need to quarantine at their hotel upon arrival.
But they have to submit to a battery of new coronavirus tests.
They can go to work, take public transport, go to the supermarket, the first three days, Travelers are not allowed to enter “high-risk facilities” such as restaurants, bars and gyms.
Visitors planning to travel for 8 days must undergo 12 tests (4 PCR tests and 8 rapid antigen tests). This equates to an average of 1.5 tests per day.
In addition, those who have a positive reaction must be quarantined in a community facility at least one week.
Still, the relaxed rules are welcome news for city residents who have endured up to three weeks of hotel quarantine restrictions at various times during the pandemic.
The news comes a day after Hong Kong lost its third-place ranking on the Global Financial Centers Index to Singapore, which moved up three places. Hong Kong and Shanghai — become the largest financial centers in Asia.
new rule
of new ruleeffective Monday, requires travelers to do the following prior to departure:
- Negative test by self-administered rapid antigen test
- Report your test results with an online health declaration
- Obtain a health declaration QR code to present before departure and upon arrival
- Be vaccinated or have a medical exemption certificate (if non-resident and 12 years of age or older)
Upon arrival, travelers should:
- Take a PCR test at the airport and repeat on the 2nd, 4th, and 6th days (day 0 for arrival)
- Take rapid antigen test daily from day 1 to day 7
- Undergo medical observation for 3 days, during which you should avoid places such as restaurants, nightclubs and salons
- Follow a 4-day self-monitoring period
Rushed away, low interest in entry
Interest in outbound flights surged following Friday’s announcement, according to travel booking company Expedia.
According to Expedia, searches for flights from Hong Kong to Japan increased 10-fold compared to the previous week in the three days after the announcement, while searches for flights to Taiwan increased 12-fold over the same period.
Here are the top flights searched on Expedia by Hong Kong travelers over the weekend:
- Osaka, Japan
- Tokyo Japan
- Seoul, South Korea
- Bangkok, Thailand
- Sapporo, Japan
- Taipei, Taiwan
- Taichung, Taiwan
- Singapore
- Fukuoka Prefecture
- london in england
However, interest in traveling to Hong Kong was much lower.
Expedia search data for Hong Kong accommodations increased 50% over the weekend compared to the week before the announcement.
Interest in going to Hong Kong was not even dominated by local travelers. According to Expedia flight search data, the UK, Canada and the US were the top inbound markets.
Hong Kong Tourism Board Chairman Pang Yukai acknowledged on Tuesday that the relaxed rules “are initially expected to primarily attract business travelers, family travelers and returning residents to Hong Kong.”
A Step Forward, Still Outdated
Joseph Armas, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Hong Kong, said abolishing hotel quarantines was a “step forward”.
But to really boost the city’s tourism and hospitality sector, Almas said the remaining restrictions need to be removed.
Japan, the latest example of a rule-bound reopening strategy, has attracted far fewer tourists than expected.
Japan announced Thursday that travelers will be able to travel freely in Japan from October 11. Restrictions Said to Confuse Travelers MostSearches for flights to Japan nearly doubled on the same day, according to Expedia data.
Hong Kong Executive Council chairman Regina Yip said the “next logical step” for Hong Kong would be to remove the three-day medical supervision banning travelers from eating in restaurants. .
Yip said he expects further easing next month after Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee made a policy speech on Oct. 19.
A Prelude to China’s Economic Reopening?
The easing of Covid-19 measures in Hong Kong has spurred hopes among Chinese residents that they will also see easing rules soon.
China’s borders have been closed since March 2020 as the pandemic spread globally.
Travelers entering the country are now required to quarantine in centralized facilities such as hotels. seven daysthen stay home for another 3 days before going out.
“Many Hong Kong businesses and residents are dependent on the mainland and traveling to and from Hong Kong is important to their business,” Almas told CNBC’s “Squawkbox Asia” on Monday.
Goldman Sachs Asia-Pacific chief economist Andrew Tilton says there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel, but China could see “significant easing” of its coronavirus measures by next spring. said low.
China’s elderly still need “a series of booster shots” and the government wants to ensure there are enough medicines if another wave of Covid hits after the country reopens, he said.
“China is a big country. We are just one city. I don’t know if our approach can be applied to the whole country,” said Ip.
But it may be good news for China residents.
Almost three years later, Macau will reopen its borders to travelers from China in the coming weeks, Reuters reported.
The world’s largest gambling hub has been hit hard by China’s coronavirus-free policy, with its “main customer flow” coming from the mainland, according to Matthew Ossolinski, chairman of Ossolinski Holdings. When the border between China and Macau reopens, “it will be interesting to see if it floods or tapers off, but there is a huge amount of stagnant demand,” he added. .
https://www.cnbc.com/2022/09/27/what-is-required-to-travel-to-hong-kong-many-many-tests.html What do you need for your trip to Hong Kong?many, many tests